Applying Remote Sensing to Avian Research Using NEXRAD Technology to Study Neotropical Bird Migration By: Amanda Turek Andrew Walton

Facts About Neotropical Bird Migration What is a neotropical bird? Why do these birds migrate?

Why do we care about their migration? Placement of cell towers, wind turbines, and most appropriate airplane routes High cost of bird strikes to aviation industry Protection of key stopover sites

Major North American Flightways “The common highways that different bird species use for their unique migration routes” 4 major flightways: Atlantic Mississippi Central Pacific

Using Radar to Detect Migration Radar: Radio Detection And Ranging Uses microwave part of electromagnetic spectrum (1cm-100cm) Active sensor (allowing data collection at night- birds fly at night during migration!)

Doppler Radar Doppler Effect discovered by Austrian scientist Christian Doppler in 1842 Doppler Effect = “the physical phenomenon marked by change in frequency dependent on the motion of an object toward or away from a point”

Doppler Radar (cont’d) Is primarily a weather radar Projects radio waves from an antenna Objects in the air “scatter” the waves back Rain, snow, hail Dust & particulates Insects, bats, BIRDS Measures change in frequency of scattered waves

NEXRAD Next Generation Weather Radars A.k.a. “88D”

NEXRAD (cont’d) Maximum range: 143 miles 2 modes Precipitation Mode Clear Air Mode

Using NEXRAD to Detect Birds How to tell birds from precipitation (in Clear Air Mode): Frequency Light rain 5-10 dBZ Birds <30 dBZ (Severe Thunderstorm 45-50 dBZ… Precipitation Mode only) Velocity Direction

Precipitation Mode

Clear Air Mode

Detecting Velocity

Conclusion NEXRAD and GIS have been successfully combined to produce maps of key stopover sites in need of protection. "One man's meat is another man's poison" paraphrased One scientist's contamination is another scientist's data.

Acknowledgements Airforce Link website: http://www.af.mil/news/airman/1298/birds2.htm Aviation Safety Division website: http://www.afsafety.af.mil/AFC/Bash/home.html “Bird Migration”: http://www.birdnature.com/migration.html College of Dupage; Next Generation Weather Lab, Understanding Velocity Data webpage: http://weather.cod.edu/notes/radar/velocity.mainpage.html Dr. Nancy French, “Intro to Imaging Radar Basics”, lecture 16: 2004 Smithsonian National Zoological Park website: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/MigratoryBirds/Fact_Sheets/default.cfm?fxsht=9 The Nutty Birdwatcher, “North American Migration Flyways,” http://www.birdnature.com/flyways.html The New Jersey Audubon Society website: http://www.njaudubon.org Willams, Jack. The USA Today Weather Book http://www.usatoday.com/weather/wdoppler.htm