We are happy to share another annual Motus update. The 2024 report is available, and with it, the Iowa DNR has shared details on their Wood Thrush research efforts, including a video.
The Motus Wildlife Tracking System is a collaborative global network of automated radio telemetry receivers for tracking small migratory wildlife that have been tagged.
The Iowa DNR’s July 14, 2025 Wildlife Diversity News Release states that there are now over 30 stations in Iowa (up from 19 reported in our blog post last year). In 2024, Iowa Motus stations recorded 291 detections of 151 individuals from 24 bird species.
This news release includes a link to the full annual report and also reports on placing Motus tags on Wood Thrush in Iowa. Wood Thrush are a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in 25 states, including Iowa.
The news release includes a link to a 7-minute video on the Wood Thrush tagging project, showing how they catch and tag these birds, which sometimes requires quite a bit of patience. Check it out!
Lastly, you can see what birds have been detected by the Motus station at the Mines of Spain with this link: Mines of Spain Motus Station.
