Smart tags for smart birds: advances in technology for airing avian secrets

Technology is changing the way we understand birds faster than at any time in the past. A particularly exciting avenue is the use of smart tags, animal-attached loggers that record multiple parameters from birds living in the wild. This approach has evolved from humble beginnings where single parameters, such as swimming depth, were recorded, often as a cumulative total. Now, smart tags can help us determine where birds go (GPS, geolocation and dead-reckoning), the activities they undertake (using accelerometry and magnetometry sensors), the energy they expend (using acceleration), and the environmental conditions to which they are exposed. This presentation will examine these exciting issues and attempt a perspective for the future.