Solar Powered BirdNet Node

• Adan Arroyo
• Esam Mohammed
• Jeremy Stymacks

With accelerating climate change and the finality of a species extinction, the current standard for collecting wildlife data by hand-written eye witness statements of volunteer surveyors is inadequate for the expected impact. Given that birds serve as indicator species, automating bird data collection would identify critical habitats that need protection. birdUP is the hardware which identifies birds by song using open-source software. Its hardware interface includes a simple touch screen interface, a solar-panel for continuous operation, and is shielded with resin casting and conformal coating to withstand harsh weather conditions. In addition to surveying, birdUP nodes can be used to collect song data of caged birds. This song activity can be used in behavioral studies surrounding sleeping, feeding, mating, and cohabitation. As an open-source device, birdUP serves as the flexible platform and lean benchmark for other software applications to identify other animals by sound, such as frogs, cicadas, and bats.

See supporting documentation in the team’s Box drive.