Audubon South Carolina, Duke Energy, and South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism (SCDPRT) are partnering to unveil a new Motus Wildlife Tracking tower at Caesars Head State Park today, June 4, 2021.

What is it?

Motus Wildlife Tracking towers capture data + follow migratory patterns of native birds + other wildlife. (Motus is the Latin word for movement.) This new tower is the first of its kind in the Upstate and adds to the network of other towers already installed in SC, including at Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia + along the Charleston coastline. 🦜

A Motus Tower at Dewees Island, SC | Photo by Reggie Fairchild, provided by South Carolina Audobon

How it works:

Tracking migrating birds can be very difficult. Motus technology uses coordinated automated radio telemetry arrays (read: radio signals) to track the real-time paths and movement of birds + wildlife. To capture the data, (which is available to the public on the Motus website), researchers across the hemisphere attach temporary tags to species of concern. Those tags transmit signals that nearby Motus towers pick up, creating a real-time migration log for said species. 📍

What’s tracked in SC?

Researchers at Audubon South Carolina are focused on determining the pathways + stopover locations of several birds, including:

Swainson's Warblers
Prothonotary Warblers
Painted Buntings
and shorebirds like Red Knots.

The data collected from SC’s Motus network also supports the National Audubon Society Migratory Bird Initiative, which uses tracking, banding, and e-Bird data to understand and protect birds at risk.

Jennifer Tyrrell with Audubon South Carolina holding a Swainson’s Warbler while she places a small tracking device on the bird’s leg, which is what pings Motus towers like the one at Caesars Head when the bird flies within range | Photo by Matt Johnson

How this affects us:

North America has lost nearly 3 billion birds over the last several decades, and eastern forests alone have lost 170 million. Since the health issues of birds similarly affect people, this tracking network aims to cultivate an understanding of the importance of bird conservation and the protection of greenspaces throughout local communities. Duke Energy’s investment in the Ceasar’s Head Motus tower and the partnership with Audubon South Carolina and SCDPRT helps continue momentum on ambitious plans to expand the Motus tower network throughout SC.

Want to support the cause? Visit Caesars Head this summer + fall to enjoy bird migration, or become more aware of birds in your backyard or local parks. Ⓟ