Discover the Three Bird Species Being Studied Using AI Tech in Washington State

In the 2024 Fiscal Year-End report from the United States Department of Agriculture, I discovered that we (America) have been generative artificial intelligence (AI) to help detect bird calls. I find this fascinating.

AI is Transforming Our World--Even in Washington State Forests

Some people are super scared of AI and think it's a terrible thing that is going to end up being our overlords. I absolutely hope not! In the meantime, I've found it to be a very useful tool and so has the U.S. Forest Service!

I like to think of generative AI like using Spell Check in Microsoft Word, Autocorrect on your phone, or Grammarly for your typed documents.

AI edits, suggests, and speeds up many processes and computations that have shown to save us countless hours of time and energy. It's like using a computer instead of a typewriter--it's about using a system with built-in speed and precision in order to get important things done.

BirdNET is an AI program created to use AI to listen to "thousands of hours" of recorded bird calls in our forests in order to identify them. This computerized system streamlines efficiency and reduces federal labor costs to "detect bird vocalizations for research and species monitoring."

There are three bird species being studied here in parts of Washington and Oregon.

Spotted Owls

Unfortunately, wildfires and other climate changes have reduced the Northern Spotted Owl population in Washington State. The Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife says It is rare to see them now, but they used to reside abundantly in eastern Cascades in Oregon and parts of Western Washington. BirdNET listens to thousands of hours to hear any of their bird calls.

Black-Backed Woodpeckers

This bird has also been deeply impacted by recent wildfires because they like to feast on bugs from the burned trees. The more dead trees from wildfires, the more they swoop in for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Black-backed Woodpeckers are, however, in a protected bird species class now and they are seen in the Cascade Mountains.

Willow Flycatchers

These birds love to travel to Western and upper Northeastern Washington State and mate, especially during the summer months. You can spot them in the Puget Sound, Okanogan, and Western Cascades regions during June, July, and August. They typically migrate out of there by September.

"Artificial intelligence (AI) promises to drive the growth of the United States economy and improve the quality of life of all Americans." - USDA

BirdNET was made by researchers at the K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. You can review the reports and data page to see more fascinating ways our government uses artificial intelligence for the USDA.