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Robot Bird Watcher Watches For Rare Woodpecker

The BBC reports that a robot woodpecker is keeping watch for the ivory-billed woodpecker, a rare woodpecker once thought to be extinct.

The automated birdwatcher stands in a US wildlife reserve in Arkansas, scanning the skies for a glimpse of the elusive ivory-billed woodpecker.

The bird was once thought to be extinct, but potential sightings in the area in 2004 renewed the search.

The system uses two video cameras to capture continuous images of the sky that are scrutinised for evidence of bird life by sophisticated software.

Any shot that it does not believe contains a bird is discarded.

So far all the birds the robot bird watcher has photographed are geese but he seems like the right robot for the job. If the elusive woodpecker ever appears this robot birding enthusiast is sure to snap the picture.

Posted on February 23, 2007

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