A Less Expensive Wireless Tree Cavity Viewer

NOTE:
Availability of some of the components in the original system below has changed since 2004 when we initiated this project. The market for these types of electronic devices is quite dynamic. The ST100 is difficult or impossible to find anymore. Analog TVs (as used in the original system) are no longer available in the US since the transition to digital TV transition. However, there are many camera/receiver combinations on the market at any one time that will work if a few important characteristics are considered.

• Screen size and brightness

The inexpensive receivers I have seen are not super bright in direct sunlight conditions. There is no substitute for getting your hands on a receiver and testing is sunlight. In a worst case scenario one could use a focusing cloth.

• Ruggedness/tolerance to water

None of the inexpensive units known to me are waterproof. Perhaps a ziplock bag or for more extreme environments a waterproof case would be effective on drizzly/rainy days. The camera gets some water protection from heat shrink tubing but you wouldn't want to let it stand out in the rain for long periods.

• Battery life/type

Battery life of the receiver and camera must be considered. Receiver units with internal batteries may not be a good choice if you can not recharge them in the field. Some models use 9 volt or AA batteries that can be replaced in the field.

• Size of camera

The size of the camera will largely determine the minimum cavity nest entrance diameter you can enter. With the original ST100A camera we could access a 1 inch diameter entrance. Many cameras are slightly larger and may increase the minimum diameter nest entrance you can access.

• Your affinity for tinkering

You need to be willing to explore currently available equipment and tinker a bit to get your unit assembled. Often manuals that come with equipment are a bit cryptic. In return for your efforts you will have a much less expensive cavity nest camera.

What: A system used for research requiring viewing of nesting bird cavities. A simple, clean system without a lot of components to haul around.
Where: Flagstaff, Arizona
When: August, 2004
How: Designed a unit with easily available components ordered from Internet sites and purchased from local stores.
Why: Commercially available product, the Tree Top Peeper (tm) (link to maunfacurer) did not fit in budget.

Huebner, D. P. and S. R. Hurteau. 2007. An economical wireless cavity-nest viewer. Journal of Field Ornithology. 78(1):1-6. [PDF]

Short video clips of camera in action. What you will see is the examination of Western Bluebird nests in Ponderosa Pine snags in Northern Arizona. Shortly after the camera enters the cavity it adjusts to the illumination provided by the IR LEDs. Each clip is about 1mb in size, .wmv format. If you have questions about the design or construction of the system or how this video was captured contact me.

June 2, 2006 (eggs)
July 28, 2006 1 (nestlings)
July 28, 2006 2 (nestlings)
Note the video quality on the tv used to monitor the nest is sharper and clearer than what you see in this video. Noise was introduced by file compression.

Parts: