Acoustic Ecology

We study the consequences of changing soundscapes for wildlife and wild spaces

Acoustic ecology of U.S. National Parks

We study how noise impacts wildlife and how soundscapes vary across U.S. National Parks. We are partnering with collaborators in the Sound and Light Ecology Team and the NPS Natural Sounds and Night Skies division to understand how to protect species from the impacts of noise and conserve natural soundscapes in our beautiful National Parks.

Acoustic Ecology of Diverse African Ecosystems

We are partnering with Snapshot Safari, a large-scale collaboration founded by conservation scientists invested in understanding biodiversity patterns and the ecology of wildlife in some of the world’s most ecologically diverse regions in Africa. We are integrating acoustic devices into this vast ecological monitoring network, which will expand opportunities to study birds, bats, and other acoustically active species in this understudied biodiversity hotspot! This exciting research will improve understanding of African food web ecology, species distributions, and will provide insights to inform stakeholders and promote conservation across Africa.

Concrete Chorus

The Concrete Chorus Project is a community science initiative investigating how urban environments shape bird diversity. Volunteers participate by collecting brief bird sound recordings at specific locations throughout their city using the free Merlin Bird ID app. This data will help us understand patterns like the "luxury effect," where wealthier neighborhoods sometimes—but not always—host greater biodiversity. We're also interested in learning more about how we can design cities to better support urban birds, given the alarming declines in bird populations all over the world.