Would you believe that there are viagra “smart bird feeders that can track who eats when” according to Chronicle Online. Very interesting right? What is the purpose of having a device that could do such a thing, specifically for birds?
Well, basically it is for bird lovers to track their feeding and breeding behavior. This most definitely would be amusing to watch as birds come and go so quickly throughout the day that we don’t really give it a second thought, right?
Apparently, Cornell Lab of Ornithology makes this possible collecting data, etc. Scientists only need to tend to this tracker a few times a week to collect what they are looking for and to make comparisons.
Now your thought may be, “is this device harmful to to the birds?” This was most definitely my concern when originally hearing about it. Here is how the tracking device works according to Cornell Chronicle:
“The technology, called RFID (radio frequency identification), requires researchers to tag birds on the leg, while a battery- or solar-powered antenna and micro-computer on a feeder perch records an ID number whenever a tagged bird comes within a few inches of the feeder. The system reduces errors, records even the briefest visits and generates a complete record. Cornell ornithology researchers have now recorded more than 2.5 million visits by tagged birds to wired feeders.”
Very interesting and clever to say the least. I guess if you were really into the behavior of birds, this concept would be stellar! To see how this bird tracker works, check out this YouTube video.
Source: Cornell University/Chronicle
Image: Wikimedia Commons
