Skip to Main Content

Motus Towers Detect, Track Variety of Bird Species

Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources joined a nationwide research network in May when it put up MotusKaitlyn Young stands next to the antennae of the motus tower towers at the Purdue Wildlife Area, Richard G. Lugar Forestry Farm and Cunningham Woods.

The towers, which pick up the signature of radio transmitters on a variety of wildlife species as they travel through the area, have been buzzing with activity in recent weeks.  

Beginning in October, the towers picked up their first detections of birds from across the country and even from Canada. Here’s a quick look at some of the species that have been detected.

  • Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus)
    • Purdue Motus Tower Location: Cunningham Woods
    • Departed from: Western University, Ontario, Canada
  • Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)
  • Eastern Whip-poor-will (Antromus vociferus)
  • Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor)
    • Purdue Motus Tower Location: Lugar Farm
    • Departed from: MPG Ranch, Montana, U.S. 
  • Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus)

 

Images of a Yellow Warbler, a Red-eyed Vireo and an Eastern Whip-poor-will. Warbler and vireo images by Kaitlyn Young. Whip-poor-will photo courtesy of Dr. Lina Rifai, IU Kokomo. Images of a Yellow Warbler, a Red-eyed Vireo and an Eastern Whip-poor-will. Warbler and vireo images by Kaitlyn Young. Whip-poor-will photo courtesy of Dr. Lina Rifai, IU Kokomo.

Other species that have been detected by the three Purdue towers thus far are Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina), Eastern Towhee (red eyed form – Pipilo erythrophthalmus/canaster), Blue-Winged Teal (Spatula discors) and Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus).

A full look at the species that have been detected at each tower is available by clicking the location links above. Towers detect the location of any animal marked with radio-based transmitters that travels within a nine-mile radius of the tower.

The three towers near the Purdue campus are among the 21 MOTUS tower locations across Indiana, including one at the Purdue Southeastern Agricultural Center.

Dr. Barny Dunning explained being a part of the Motus tower network could have a local impact on PurdueKaitlyn Young holds a motus network sign and parts of the tower students, in addition to assisting researchers across the world with animal tracking.

“With the establishment of Motus towers at Purdue, existing class projects using radio transmitters will be enhanced,” Dunning said. “We also envision that students will be inspired to start new research initiatives, a core piece of the transformative experience we want to provide in FNR.”

Kaitlyn Young, a master’s student in Dunning’s lab, is utilizing the information from the towers for her research on eastern towhee migration in central Indiana.

“The Motus network made my master's project possible,” Young said. “My original research question was to determine when Eastern Towhees depart for fall migration. After attaching Cellular Tracking Technologies PowerTags on my sample of towhees, however, all the birds left their territory earlier than expected. Thanks to the Motus towers we installed at Purdue properties, I have some puzzling yet interesting results to report. Working with Motus has inspired so many more migration-related questions that I hope to explore as I continue my research career.”

The addition of the Motus towers at Purdue were made possible by funding from a grant program from the Purdue Office of Experiential Education, the Purdue Ag Alumni Trust Fund and the Mary Rice Grant program. The addition of the towers would not have possible without Brian Beheler of FNR and Joel Wahlman of SEPAC, who set the towers up at each location.

For more about the Motus network, visit their website.

Featured Stories

Purdue Digital Forestry Students
Purdue digital forestry students win first prize in 2024 Annual GeoChallenge

A team of digital forestry graduate students from Purdue University won first prize in the...

Read More
Purdue TWS president Celia Parton and master's student Emma Johnson accept the plaque for North Central Region Student Chapter of the Year at the Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference.
Student Chapter of the Wildlife Society Named North Central Region Chapter of the Year

The Purdue student chapter of The Wildlife Society was named as the North Central Region’s...

Read More
A photo of a wildfire provided by Blake Stanton.
FNR Alumni Assist During Wildlfire Season

Wildfire season can extend from five to more than seven months in length, occurring mostly in the...

Read More
Pamala Morris and AZA members with the Unsung Diversity Heroes Team Award at the panel event.
Unsung Diversity Heroes assemble welcoming spaces for all

On Jan. 24, Purdue University’s College of Agriculture honored four Unsung Diversity...

Read More
Walt Beineke stands next to one of the space sycamores he planted on his property.
FNR Remembers Professor Emeritus Walt Beineke

Dr. Walt Beineke, a 1960 forestry alumnus and a faculty member for more than 30 years, passed...

Read More
Mary Beth Adams stands in front of a sign publicizing her visit to Nanjing Normal University in China.
Distinguished Alumna Adams Travels to China for Scientific Exchange Opportunity

Dr. Mary Beth Adams, a 2016 Purdue Distinguished Agricultural Alumni Award honoree and 2020...

Read More
To Top