A New Window into Bird Migration: Our Motus Tower Is Finally Here!

unpocodelchoco
8 hours ago
2 min read

After years of dreaming about it, we are thrilled to announce that Un poco del Chocó is now home to one of Ecuador's newest Motus Wildlife Tracking System towers!

This milestone would not have been possible without the incredible support and collaboration of David (Miami University) and Jill Russell of the Avian Research and Education Institute (AREI) and Third Place for Wildlife Trust, as well as many dedicated colleagues and friends. We are deeply grateful to everyone who helped turn this long-held vision into reality.

Following Birds Across Continents

Earlier this year, together with Dhruv Iyengar, a PhD student at Miami University, we began deploying miniature CTT radio transmitters on Swainson's Thrushes wintering (or passing through?) at our reserve. The tags are detected by receiving stations that form the international Motus Wildlife Tracking System, allowing researchers to follow the movements of individual birds across thousands of kilometres.

The first results exceeded our expectations. Between April and May, four of the twelve tagged Swainson's Thrushes were detected as they migrated north. Their journeys were recorded by Motus towers in Colombia, Tennessee, and Ohio, before continuing toward the eastern coast of North America. Watching birds that we held in our hands in Ecuador reappear thousands of kilometres away was an unforgettable moment and a powerful reminder of how interconnected the Americas truly are.

Why This Tower Matters

Until now, Ecuador had only three Motus receiving stations, all located along the coast. While these stations have provided valuable information, there has been a major gap in coverage within the country's forested interior—areas that are critically important for migratory songbirds passing through or spending the northern winter.

Our new tower helps fill that gap.

Located in the Chocó Andino, Un poco del Chocó is ideally positioned to detect migratory passerines moving through the western Andean foothills. At the same time, the station opens exciting new opportunities to study the movements, dispersal, habitat use, and survival of resident tropical birds, paving the way for future ecological and conservation research.

A Truly International Collaboration

Building this station was a collaborative effort from start to finish. Components for the tower were sourced from the United States, Colombia, and Ecuador, reflecting the international nature of the Motus network itself.

A special thank you goes to Yuly Caicedo from SELVA Colombia, coordinator of Motus Latin America, who travelled to our reserve to help install and calibrate the tower. Her expertise and enthusiasm were invaluable in getting the station up and running.

Looking Ahead

This is only the beginning.

We hope this tower will become one of many receiving stations throughout Ecuador's inland tropical forests, helping to strengthen the Motus network across one of the world's most biodiverse regions. Every new station increases our ability to understand how birds move across landscapes and international borders, providing the information needed to better protect them throughout their annual cycle.

For us, this tower represents much more than a piece of equipment. It is the result of years of collaboration, shared enthusiasm, and a collective commitment to bird conservation.

To everyone who helped make this possible—thank you. We cannot wait to see what discoveries lie ahead.