La Tour du Valat

Institut de recherche pour la conservation des zones humides méditerranéennes

Titre :	A wireless video camera for viewing tree cavities
Auteurs :	M. David Luneau, Auteur ; Brandon L. Noel, Auteur
Type de document :	Article
Dans :	Journal of Field Ornithology (81(2) JUN 2010)
Article en page(s) :	176-185
Langues:	Anglais
Résumé :	Investigators have used a variety of methods to inspect nest cavities, including wireless batterypowered video cameras mounted on telescoping poles. Using such a monitoring system to inspect cavities located well above ground can be difficult because the weight of the camera can cause flexing of the telescoping pole, making it difficult to insert the camera into cavity entrances. We constructed a system made from commercially available products that transmits wireless video images from nest cavities, and is both lightweight (198 g) and relatively inexpensive (about $520 US). During a study of Pileated Woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus), we inspected more than 100 cavities using our monitoring system and found that images were clear enough to allow us to count eggs and nestlings, and determine the sex of adults and nestlings. Because of its light weight, our wireless camera system allows quick inspection of cavities (typically less than 2 min). Although we used our cavity-monitoring system to inspect cavities used by Pileated Woodpecker, we believe that the diameter of the camera could be reduced from 5.6 cm to 4.7 cm to allow inspection of cavities with smaller entrances.

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