A major problem in studying bird movement in many countries is data scarcity, precluding information about the spatial and temporal properties of avian distribution and dynamics as well as their consequences for human lives. We address this problem by proposing an innovative approach based on the relation between counts of signal attenuation of wireless communication to the presence of birds across or near wireless links of cellular backhaul networks. Wireless point-to-point communication links, on either ground level or earth-satellite links, cover the globe. We statistically relate between signal attenuation in terrestrial Commercial Microwave Links (CMLs) and bird migration. Because modern communication systems measure and often log signal levels routinely, we propose using existing signal level measurements of cellular and other wireless communication systems around the world as sensors for monitoring bird movement. Using actual measurements from operational CMLs, we show that the daily cycle of signal attenuation during bird migration periods matched that of the water-bird migration traffic rate recorded by nearby bird radar. This demonstrates the potential of the proposed method for opportunistic bird movement monitoring by CMLs across the globe, with no additional hardware installation, maintenance, or communication costs.
How to Cite Ben Moshe, D., H. Messer, Y. Werber, and N. Sapir (2024). Cellular network measurements can unravel spatiotemporal properties of bird movement to enhance basic and applied knowledge globally. Ornithological Applications 126:duae035.
LAY SUMMARY
Data deficiency is substantially hampering our knowledge of bird movement and its implications. By relating counts of signal attenuation of cellular communication networks to counts of migrating birds, we can opportunistically monitor bird movement with no installation, maintenance, or communication costs.
We propose that existing cellular network infrastructure can be used to characterize bird movement and demonstrate it by comparing attenuation distribution between spring (migration season) and summer (no migration season), and by relating hourly patterns of attenuation to the number of water birds counted by a nearby radar during spring migration in Southern Israel.
The further development and future application of this method could enhance our understanding of bird movement, including long-term monitoring, detection of phenological patterns and spatial gradients, as well as providing essential information for the mitigation of human-wildlife conflicts—especially bird–aircraft collisions at low altitudes by providing early warning of bird presence where radar coverage is limited.
Un problema importante en el estudio del movimiento de las aves en muchos países es la escasez de datos, lo que impide obtener información sobre las propiedades espaciales y temporales de la distribución y dinámica de las aves, así como sus consecuencias para la vida humana. Abordamos este problema proponiendo un enfoque innovador basado en la relación entre el conteo de la atenuación de la señal de la comunicación inalámbrica y la presencia de aves a lo largo o cerca de los enlaces inalámbricos de las redes de retorno de telefonía celular. Los enlaces de comunicación inalámbrica punto a punto, ya sea a nivel del suelo o tierra-satélite, cubren el globo. Relacionamos estadísticamente la atenuación de la señal en los Enlaces de Microondas Comerciales (EMC) terrestres y la migración de aves. Dado que los sistemas de comunicación modernos miden y registran rutinariamente los niveles de señal, proponemos utilizar las mediciones del nivel de señal existentes de los sistemas de comunicación de telefonía celular y otros sistemas de comunicación inalámbrica en todo el mundo como sensores para el monitoreo del movimiento de las aves. Usando mediciones reales de EMC operacionales, mostramos que el ciclo diario de atenuación de la señal durante los períodos de migración de las aves coincidió con la tasa de tráfico de migración de aves acuáticas registrada por un radar de aves cercano. Esto demuestra el potencial del método propuesto para el monitoreo oportunista del movimiento de las aves mediante EMC en todo el mundo, sin costos adicionales de instalación de hardware, mantenimiento o comunicación.
