Yesterday, the Trust purchased a radio telemetry receiver for use in our Cerulean Warbler 2-Year Survey with a grant from the Tennessee Ornithological Society.

This season, researcher Holland Youngman will be using radio telemetry to track the foraging habits of Cerulean Warblers in the Gorge. To gather data, Holland will:

  1. Set up remote mist net lanes in areas where Cerulean Warblers have been heard and documented in the recent past. 
  2. Upon catching a Cerulean Warbler, glue a tiny transmitter to the nape of the Cerulean's neck. 
  3. Follow the Ceruleans to their breeding grounds using the radio signal emitted by the transmitter and the newly purchased receiver. 

From there, Holland will be able to determine exactly what Cerulean Warblers like to eat when they come off the nest, a key piece of information in understanding how to better manage forests to promote the productivity and survivorship of at-risk bird species. 

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