Tracking birds with Motus

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Uncovering the mysteries of migration

Tracking birds with Motus

The Motus Wildlife Tracking System is a collaborative network of thousands of automated telemetry stations distributed around the world. The stations receive signals from radio transmitters operating on just two frequencies, 166 MHz and 434 MHz, meaning that researchers working with coded transmitters can track animals throughout the network. To contribute to this international network, SELVA currently maintains a set of stations in Colombia and Central America and is also part of the Motus working group for Central and northern South America. As part of our commitment to expanding Motus, we provide training courses in the use of Motus technology and in the installation of transmitters on migratory birds, in addition to assisting other organizations with their tracking projects. Over the next five years, we aim to increase station coverage at strategic sites in Central and South America and train more ornithologists in the use of this technology.

Project Objectives

Expand and maintain a strategic network of Motus stations in Colombia and Central America

Train individuals and organizations in the installation of Motus stations and the use of radiotransmitters to track birds

Explore the connections between non-breeding populations of migratory birds in the Neotropics and their North American breeding grounds

Play a leadership role in the Motus working group for Central and northern South America

Project Gallery

Selected Products

Bayly et al. 2025 – The surprising migration strategy of the Golden-winged Warbler

Explore the stations and associated detections in SELVA’s main Motus project

Read more about Motus and SELVA’s projects in this Mongabay article (Spanish)

Investigate to understand, understand to act

Support our network of Motus stations! Each donation makes it possible to maintain the current network and add new stations

Project team

Jeyson Sanabria

Jeyson Sanabria

Researcher
base

Carlos González

Researcher
Nick Bayly

Nick Bayly

Director of Migratory Ecology
Marta Rubio

Martha Rubio

Researcher
Yuly Lorena Caicedo Ortiz

Yuly L. Caicedo-Ortiz

Researcher
Ernesto-2-640x640

Ernesto Carman

Researcher
Paz

Paz A. Irola

Researcher