Avian Studies Using Motus, a Global Wildlife Tracking System

The Motus Wildlife Tracking System (https://motus.org) is a collaborative global research network that uses automated radio telemetry to track the movements and behavior of birds, bats, and insects. This technology has revolutionized the tracking of small-bodied birds that are unable to carry heavier tags previously required for long-distance or remote tracking (e.g., via satellites). Studies utilizing automated radio telemetry and the Motus network, including those in this collection, have addressed a broad range of avian topics, including migratory connectivity, migratory timing, stopover use and duration, non-migratory movements, habitat use and selection, and weather conditions associated with migratory departures and movements. Several articles investigate potential effects of tags on bird behavior and productivity and provide guidance on tag and antenna specifications for specific study questions, which is critical to the success of future ethical research.

Motus is composed of more than 2500 receiving stations that are supported by hundreds of collaborating groups across 34 countries. Researchers have tagged more than 67,000 animals of more than 400 species that are tracked by the system, supporting more than 250 publications. Motus is one of the largest collaborative research infrastructure projects and houses the largest open database on animal movement data in the world. Motus is a powerful, accessible tool for connecting youth to real research, building technical skills, and generating data that can information conservation locally and globally.



Articles

Morbey, Y. E., K. C. Hannah, J. N. Costa, J. W. Kusack, and S. A. Mackenzie. 2025. In the clear: weather drives the northward movement of American Tree Sparrows (Spizelloides arborea) as spring progresses. Journal of Field Ornithology 96(3):1. https://doi.org/10.5751/JFO-00629-960301

Danyk, K. A. R., D. R. de Zwaan, J. Paquet, and D. J. Hamilton. 2025. Habitat use and local movement of staging Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) differ between coastal and inland habitat in Atlantic Canada. Journal of Field Ornithology 96(3):5. https://doi.org/10.5751/JFO-00659-960305

Khoo, J. A., A. J. MacDonald, I. J. K. Hansen, C. M. Cox, S. M. Ramsay, and K. A. Otter. 2025. The influence of migratory routes, breeding, and wintering grounds on cultural shifts in song of White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis). Journal of Field Ornithology 96(2):9. https://doi.org/10.5751/JFO-00661-960209

Walker, J., J.-F. Therrien, C. Bégin-Marchand, P. Côté, A. Terrigeol, F. Gagnon, and J. A. Tremblay. 2025. Insights from a decade of using the Motus network to track boreal bird species from Observatoire d’oiseaux de Tadoussac, Québec to temperate and tropical wintering grounds. Journal of Field Ornithology 96(2):2. https://doi.org/10.5751/JFO-00605-960202

Mitchell, G. W., M. Dick, A. Macmillan, and C. G. Guglielmo. 2025. No effect of carrying a leg-loop harness mounted radio transmitter on flight energy expenditure of a small migratory songbird. Journal of Field Ornithology 96(2):5. https://doi.org/10.5751/JFO-00636-960205

Hayes, S., B. P. Boyd, and B. J. M. Stutchbury. 2024. Why do juvenile Wood Thrushes make long-distance pre-migratory movements across a fragmented landscape? Journal of Field Ornithology 95(2):9. https://doi.org/10.5751/JFO-00465-950209

Buck, E. J., J. D. Sullivan, C. S. Teitelbaum, D. Brinker, P. C. McGowan, and D. J. Prosser. 2022. An evaluation of transmitter effects on adult and juvenile Common Terns using leg-loop harness attachments. Journal of Field Ornithology 93(4):3. https://doi.org/10.5751/JFO-00136-930403

Brunner, A. R., B. C. Dossman, V. Jirinec, K. L. Percy, C. M. Tonra, E. I. Johnson, and P. P. Marra. 2022. Migratory behavior and connectivity revealed in a secretive Neotropical migratory songbird, the Swainson’s Warbler. Journal of Field Ornithology 93(3):5. https://doi.org/10.5751/JFO-00134-930305



Special Feature Acknowledgments

The editorial team thanks Amber Roth, Stu Mackenzie, Alison Fetterman, Amie MacDonald, Pete Davidson, and Adam Smith for their efforts to organize this special feature collection of research articles. Motus is a program of Birds Canada, delivered in collaboration with participating researchers and organizations. Data from all these contributions can be explored in more detail on the Motus website (https://motus.org).



Photo credit: Amie MacDonald.