Acoustic Monitoring

What is acoustic monitoring?

Acoustic monitoring uses small, autonomous sound recorders to capture the soundscapes of natural environments. These devices record birds, bats, amphibians, insects, mammals, and environmental sounds — providing a rich source of biodiversity data.

Unlike visual systems such as AMI, acoustic monitoring focuses on species that are easier to hear than see, and it makes it possible to sample continuously over long periods with very little field effort.

Acoustics is a core monitoring approach in WildSense, supporting bird surveys, bat activity assessments, soundscape ecology, and long-term environmental change research.

Devices we use

Acoustic monitoring within WildSense makes use of several widely used, low-cost or professional-grade devices, including:

• AudioMoth – ultra-low-cost, open-source autonomous recorder
• Song Meter recorders (Wildlife Acoustics) – high-quality field units for bird and bat surveys
• Bat detectors – for ultrasonic and high-frequency bat monitoring
• Custom-built recorders – specialised units used in research projects and long-term observatories

Each of these recorders supports different sampling strategies and environments, making acoustic monitoring extremely flexible.

Why acoustic monitoring matters

Acoustic methods are essential for tracking biodiversity because:

• Many species, especially birds, bats, and amphibians, are best detected by sound.
• Acoustic recorders can operate continuously, capturing data at all hours.
• They provide non-intrusive, standardised sampling across long periods.
• Devices are portable and inexpensive, enabling broad-scale deployments.
• Recordings create a permanent archive, allowing for re-analysis as models improve.

Acoustic monitoring helps reveal:

• Bird community composition
• Bat activity levels
• Amphibian breeding behaviour
• Soundscape health
• Habitat quality and change over time

Where we use acoustic monitoring

Acoustic surveys are active or planned across multiple WildSense projects, including:

• Woodland and farmland bird monitoring
• Bat activity assessments
• Tropical forest soundscape studies
• Biodiversity surveys in protected areas
• Long-term observatories and restoration projects

As the platform grows, acoustics will remain a key technique for capturing species that AMI or LepiSense cannot detect.

How the system works

Recording

Autonomous devices (e.g., AudioMoth, Song Meter, bat detectors) are deployed in the field and programmed to:

• record continuously or at scheduled intervals
• capture dawn choruses, nocturnal activity, or specific target taxa
• operate for weeks or months with minimal maintenance

Data processing

Recordings are processed through AI/ML workflows, including:

• bird classifiers
• bat call recognisers
• amphibian call detectors
• acoustic indices and soundscape metrics

These models help identify species, quantify activity, and produce ecological summaries.

Outputs

The processed data supports:

• species-level detections
• occupancy modelling
• biodiversity indicators
• restoration monitoring
• long-term community trend analysis

Integration within WildSense

Acoustic monitoring joins AMI, LepiSense, and other system streams to create a multi-modal biodiversity picture, combining:

• images
• sounds
• remote sensing
• environmental context

Together, they create a more complete assessment of ecosystem health.

Images & media

Put images in:

docs/systems/acoustics/images/

Example:

Partners & collaborators

Acoustic monitoring is supported by:

• UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH)
• Academic and conservation partners involved in bird, bat, and amphibian projects

Additional collaborators will be added as projects expand.

Get involved / learn more

Add deployment guides, acoustic classifier links, and workflow documentation here.

Example outputs

• Bird species detections from continuous recordings.
• Soundscape indices summarising habitat quality.
• Call detections for bats, amphibians, and insects.