Acoustics

We have collected hundreds of Canis vocalizations to date, and we're just getting started. Below to the left are a few videos highlighting the spectrogram of the sounds we have recorded (click to play). Bio-acoustic research is a relatively new science and researchers specializing in this field, some of who we are working closely with, can learn a lot about the animals by analyzing these charts and other data collected. Some of our custom ARU builds and configuration/programming efforts are illustrated as well. 

Researchers: Click here to access our databases

A custom Maine Howls ARU build now deployed, with a handheld GPS unit in the picture to document the location (right).

A successful design and build begins with an idea and a prototype. Here is a custom build that Jim is working on with increased memory capacity and other features that will eventually provide a cost effective means for us to efficiently record high quality audio in the wild (left).

Video clip of vocalizations

Researchers: Please email us if you need the password to our database

Standard ARU units deployed by Maine Howls (above and below). These are designed and manufactured by Open Acoustic Devices. This particular unit is called an AudioMoth. These loggers are a low-cost, open-source acoustic monitoring device used by many wildlife researchers to record and study things as diverse as insects, ultrasonic bat calls and have even been used to detect the sound of gunshots in an effort to catch poachers.

Note the mic protruding from the bottom of this Maine Howls custom build. Through trial and error we have learned that a windscreen on the external mic greatly reduces wind noise without a noticeable difference in sensitivity (above).

Our engineer keeps busy - here is one of Jim's constructs. It's a custom ARU build powered by four rechargeable 18650 lithium batteries. Lithium batteries perform better in the cold than others, and we have used expensive, disposable Energizer lithium cells in the past. There is an upgraded omnidirectional exterior mic on the bottom of the unit hiding in the fuzzy wind-break. This Maine Howls ARU protype is still being tested, and if it works like we hope, the larger capacity and higher voltage will both save us on battery cost and allow for longer deployment times while recording a much higher quality sound (left).

Another custom build being programmed for deployment and the worksheet we fill out each time so that the data can be entered into our database.(below).

Programming an ARU's recording schedule prior to deployment (above).