The calling of owls is commonly performed in population studies but nowhere in the literature is this calling performed through the use of cellular telephone. This project explores signal processing and audio input/output technologies coupled with cellular telephones for remote broadcasting, recording and analysis of Owl vocalizations. The broadcast and record methods are evaluated by the frequency of Owl responses and the machine recognition rate on labeled transcriptions of telephone recordings.
This project seeks to demonstrate that signal processing technologies using cellular telephone transport are a flexible and viable alternative to conventional call and response methods. Insights gained in this project will greatly facilitate surveys not only on Great Horned Owls, but on other species which can be studied by similar methods, such as the Spotted Owls and the Marbled Murrelet, both of which are federally listed endangered species. Results will be disseminated in signal processing, sensor applications and biological science publication venues.
