Photo: Installing a Motus tower at Lodge Pico Bonito, courtesy of Nicholas Bayly, PhD, Director of the Migratory Ecology program at SELVA.
BY BRAD BUMGARDNER
The Chasing Melody project has taken a significant step forward in understanding Wood Thrush migration, thanks to new Motus Wildlife Tracking System stations installed in Honduras, strategically located on the northern Caribbean coast. Supported by the Sam Shine Foundation, a key supporter of Chasing Melody, these stations strengthen our ability to track the movements of Wood Thrush across their migratory range, particularly on their wintering grounds.
The two stations—one at the Pico Bonito Lodge and another at Jardín Botánico Lancetilla—are now fully operational and already yielding valuable results. Shortly after installation, a Wood Thrush was detected at one of the stations, following the capture of 20 individuals nearby. This early detection highlights the immediate value of these strategically placed stations. Both locations are surrounded by high-quality stopover and non-breeding habitats, increasing the likelihood of tracking not only Wood Thrushes but also other migratory species passing through Central America this spring.
The station at Jardín Botánico Lancetilla also served as a hub for local capacity building. A workshop was held for eight staff members from the botanic garden, along with regional ornithologists. The workshop covered topics such as automated telemetry and fitting live birds with tracking transmitters. This hands-on training supports the Motus network but also enhances local conservation efforts.
These efforts, part of the broader Chasing Melody project, underscore Indiana Audubon’s and our project partners’ commitment to studying our birds through their entire annual life cycle. By connecting breeding, stopover, and wintering habitats, projects like this help us better understand the complex journeys our migratory friends undertake.
To view real-time data from the new stations, visit the following links:
Photos: Installing the Motus tower at Jardín Botánico Lancetilla and participants during the capacity building workshop courtesy. All images courtesy of Nicholas Bayly, PhD, Director of the Migratory Ecology program at SELVA.
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