Acoustic sensors enable efficient and non-invasive monitoring of a wide range of species, including many that are difficult to monitor in other ways. Although they were initially limited in application scope largely due to cost and hardware constraints, the development of low-cost, open-source models like the Audiomoth in recent years has increased access immensely and opened up new avenues of research. For example, some teams are using them to identify illicit human activities through the detection of associated sounds, like gunshots, vehicles, or chainsaws (e.g. OpenEars).
With this relatively novel dimension of wildlife monitoring rapidly advancing in both marine and terrestrial systems, it is crucial that we identify and share information about the utility and constraints of these sensors to inform efforts. A recent study identified advancements in hardware and machine learning applications, as well as early development of acoustic biodiversity indicators, as factors facilitating progress in the field. In terms of limitations, the authors highlight insufficient reference sound libraries, a lack of open-source audio processing tools, and a need for standardization of survey and analysis protocols. They also stress the importance of collaboration in moving forward, which is precisely what this group will aim to facilitate.
If you're new to acoustic monitoring and want to get up to speed on the basics, check out these beginner's resources and conversations from across the WILDLABS platform:
Three Resources for Beginners:
- Listening to Nature: The Emerging Field of Bioacoustics, Adam Welz
- Ecoacoustics and Biodiversity Monitoring, RSEC Journal
- Monitoring Ecosystems through Sound: The Present and Future of Passive Acoustics, Ella Browning and Rory Gibb
Three Forum Threads for Beginners:
- AudioMoth user guide | Tessa Rhinehart
- Audiomoth and Natterjack Monitoring (UK) | Stuart Newson
- Help with analysing bat recordings from Audiomoth | Carlos Abrahams
Three Tutorials for Beginners:
- "How do I perform automated recordings of bird assemblages?" | Carlos Abrahams, Tech Tutors
- "How do I scale up acoustic surveys with Audiomoths and automated processing?" | Tessa Rhinehart, Tech Tutors
- Acoustic Monitoring | David Watson, Ruby Lee, Andy Hill, and Dimitri Ponirakis, Virtual Meetups
Want to know more about acoustic monitoring and learn from experts in the WILDLABS community? Jump into the discussion in our Acoustic Monitoring group!
Header image: Carly Batist
No showcases have been added to this group yet.
Researcher at Forest Research Institute Baden-Wuerttemberg, Passive acoustic monitoring of woodcock
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 5 Groups
Zoological Society London (ZSL)
Monitoring & Technology Lead, Conservation & Policy, ZSL
- 2 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 2 Groups
Dzanga-Ndoki national park biodiversity monitoring
- 0 Resources
- 64 Discussions
- 10 Groups
- @HannahJasinski
- | She/Her
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 3 Groups
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 3 Groups
- 0 Resources
- 2 Discussions
- 6 Groups
Orthoptera conservationist bioacoustics
- 3 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 2 Groups
- @dombroski.julia
- | she/he/hers
- 0 Resources
- 1 Discussions
- 3 Groups
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 7 Groups
- @amykukulya
- | she/her
Amy Kukulya is an ocean tech innovator and conservationist from the US. She has captured thrilling footage of megafauna using novel biologger and oceanrobotCams—SharkCam, TurtleCam featured across the globe on mainstream media outlets.
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 7 Groups
- 0 Resources
- 2 Discussions
- 2 Groups
Recently accepted into the Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries graduate program at Texas A&M.
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 1 Groups
Careers
Job: Conservation Technology Specialist (PT)
Ann Turiano
To assist with creative research project in the DC/VA/MD region
6 January 2023
Careers
Job: maker / workshop technician
Duncan Wilson
We are looking for someone who enjoys the craft of making to come and help run our London based lab.
5 January 2023
Careers
PhD - Sensory ecology of vespine wasps
Duncan Wilson
a technology-led solution to understanding the honeybees of the wasp world
8 December 2022
Link
Acoustic survey data is used to estimate the diversity of critically endangered amphibians in the fragmented forests of Madagascar.
28 November 2022
Link
WILDLABS Digest: 4 November 2022
Stephanie O'Donnell
A new issue of our community digest just went out! Check it out to discover a big platform update, and a summary of all the latest content from across WILDLABS in one easy to scan place!
4 November 2022
Article
New conservation tech articles from Mongabay
Carly Batist
Five articles that include conservation tech published at Mongabay
20 October 2022
Careers
Conservation Technology Intern (Vietnam)
Stephanie O'Donnell and 1 more
*New closing date!* WILDLABS and Fauna & Flora International are seeking an early career conservationist for 12-month paid internship position to grow and support the Southeast Asia regional community in our global...
19 October 2022
Careers
Acoustic Monitoring Biologist (Avian)
Jerry Cole
The Institute for Bird Populations (IBP) seeks a biologist to assist with an autonomous recording unit (ARU) bird monitoring project at California off-highway vehicle recreation parks and other ARU monitoring projects...
19 October 2022
Link
"We develop the use of benthic species as animal oceanographers by combining archival (depth, temperature) data from animal-borne tags, passive acoustic telemetry & citizen-science mark-recapture records for the...
10 October 2022
Careers
Open Position at Cornell - Software/Firmware Developer
Holger Klinck
The Yang Center is seeking a Software/Firmware Developer responsible for designing, developing, improving, and maintaining embedded systems to acquire and process bioacoustic data. The
6 October 2022
Article
Audio Across Domains Workshop 2022
Tessa Rhinehart
A collaborative and cross-disciplinary meeting of audio data scientists spawns creative research collaborations
3 October 2022
September 2025
October 2025
event
Vanesa Reyes
November 2025
November 2022
event
Carly Batist
October 2022
event
Stephanie O'Donnell
event
Carly Batist
event
Stephanie O'Donnell
September 2022
event
Stephanie O'Donnell
64 Products
Recently updated products
| Description | Activity | Replies | Groups | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yeah, it's an exciting project. Also will be a great excuse to improve PAMGuard documentation - something sorely needed. Python libraries also on the way as part of this.As for... |
|
Acoustics | 2 years 9 months ago | |
| Hi Alex,I'd go much further along the lines that David @dtsavage sets out. Before jumping to implementations, better think through why you want to keep all that data, and for who... |
|
Acoustics, Data Management & Mobilisation | 2 years 9 months ago | |
| The open-source program Audacity can show the spectrograms and histograms and has quite a lot of other useful features, e.g. playing ultrasound calls slower, so it can be heard by... |
|
Acoustics, Citizen Science, Data Management & Mobilisation, Open Source Solutions, Software Development | 2 years 10 months ago | |
| Thanks so much!! |
|
Acoustics, AI for Conservation, Animal Movement, Camera Traps, Community Base, Data Management & Mobilisation, Drones, eDNA & Genomics, Emerging Tech, Open Source Solutions, Geospatial, Software Development | 2 years 11 months ago | |
| I love the idea of increasing international collaboration and inclusion within acoustic monitoring! I think there particularly needs to be more collab'ing between the terrestrial... |
|
Acoustics | 2 years 11 months ago | |
| Hi there Camilo, What an interesting project! If you are looking for a lower cost, but effective tools for acoustic monitoring you might want to look into two options: ... |
|
Acoustics, AI for Conservation, Data Management & Mobilisation, Sensors, Software Development, Latin America Community | 2 years 11 months ago | |
| I have been waiting for journal club to come back!! 10000% down.I agree with @StephODonnell, would love it to come back!!! And now that variety hour is happening, that's more of... |
|
Acoustics, Community Base | 2 years 11 months ago | |
| Alex,which one of thosehttps://selectronix.co.uk/collections/waterproof-acoustic-vents would be the appropriate for the Audiomoth case?Agus |
|
Acoustics | 3 years ago | |
| Hey maya, If you're free - come along to our Variety Hour call next week and ask folks there too. We're keeping the last 10 mins open for people to jump up and put out calls... |
|
Acoustics | 3 years ago | |
| @Andrew_Hill I wonder if you could let us know more about the time keeping difference btw the regular AudioMoth and the HydroMoth (which is said to do better)? |
|
Acoustics, Marine Conservation | 3 years ago | |
| The Bioacoustics Stack Exchange has now made it past the private beta stage and onto public beta as of July 26! This means that the site... |
|
Acoustics | 3 years ago | |
| Good afternoon,My name is Maya and I am writing to you as an intern at 'Sounding Images', a Berlin-based production company https://www.... |
|
Acoustics | 3 years 1 month ago |
