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Birdsong, Fitness, and Forests — Measuring Life in an Experimental Ecosystem

Season 1 Episode 14· Whimsical Wavelengths

Episode overview

Birds occupy nearly every ecological niche on Earth, from apex predators and pollinators to scavengers and seed dispersers. In this episode, Whimsical Wavelengths turns its focus to avian ecology, asking how scientists measure bird behavior, habitat quality, and fitness in the wild—where controlled laboratory conditions are impossible.

PhD candidate Miranda Zamorelli joins the show to explain how experimental forests function as living laboratories and how long-term ecological research helps scientists understand how birds respond to environmental change. Much of the discussion centers on her work at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire, where researchers actively manipulate forest conditions to study ecosystem responses.

The episode explores how bird song is used to map territory, assess habitat quality, and even estimate reproductive success. Along the way, the conversation touches on citizen science, passive acoustic monitoring, machine learning, and why listening carefully to the natural world reveals patterns that numbers alone cannot.

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What we discuss in this episode

  • Why birds are ecologically important across many niches

  • Citizen science programs like the Great Backyard Bird Count

  • What an experimental forest is and how it functions

  • The Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest as a natural laboratory

  • How forest manipulations (logging, snow removal, snow addition) affect ecosystems

  • Migratory songbirds and seasonal habitat use

  • Oven birds: behavior, nesting, and migration

  • How bird song is used to identify species and individuals

  • Passive acoustic recording units and long-term monitoring

  • Machine learning and bioacoustics in modern ecology

  • How scientists define and measure biological fitness

  • Territory mapping, countersinging, and habitat competition

What is being studied at Hubbard Brook?

Experimental forests allow researchers to manipulate ecosystems in controlled ways while maintaining long-term reference sites. At Hubbard Brook, some watersheds are left untouched, while others undergo interventions such as tree removal or altered snow cover.

Zamorelli’s research focuses on migratory songbirds—particularly oven birds—and examines how habitat quality influences singing behavior, territory size, reproductive success, and survival. By combining direct field observations with acoustic recordings, researchers can study bird populations continuously across space and time.

Key questions explored

  • How do scientists study animals that cannot be confined to a lab?

  • What does “fitness” mean in evolutionary biology?

  • Can bird song reveal habitat quality and reproductive success?

  • How are bird territories mapped without physical boundaries?

  • What is countersinging, and why does it matter?

  • How do ideal free and ideal despotic distribution models apply to birds?

  • Can machine learning identify individual animals by sound alone?

  • How do experimental forests help predict ecological change?

Episode format

This episode is a long-form research interview emphasizing:

  • Field-based ecological research

  • Experimental design in natural environments

  • Quantitative measures of behavior and fitness

  • The role of sound and technology in wildlife monitoring

The discussion blends technical concepts with accessible explanations, highlighting how careful observation turns forests into functional laboratories.

Episode details

  • Season: 1

  • Episode: 14

  • Topic: Avian ecology, animal behavior, experimental forests

  • Guest: Miranda Zamorelli

  • Affiliation: Dartmouth College

  • Key themes: Birdsong, habitat quality, biological fitness

Enjoyed this episode?

If you’re curious about how scientists measure life, behavior, and competition in the wild—or how birdsong encodes ecological information—this episode offers a deep dive into modern field ecology. Explore other Whimsical Wavelengths episodes that examine how data, observation, and technology reveal hidden patterns in nature.