ORNISCOPE · Quantifying avian pest control: developing the Functional Insectivory Index through a modular multisensory network for monitoring of bird predation

What if we could watch nature as it happens, not just in snapshots? ORNISCOPE turns snapshots into flow with energy-efficient smart cameras and server-side AI that run for days in the field at 2 frames per second.The project bridges field ecology and smart sensing in a natural feedback loop:(1) Model. In year one, we retrain a deep-learning model on a remote server using a large, curated image set so it precisely filters empty frames, flags bird activity, and identifies species.(2) Network. Following the model retraining, we build a modular network of low-power cameras that capture and buffer images locally, then automatically send them to the server, where the customised model performs filtering and identification.(3) Ecology. With this tool in place, during the second year, we conduct a field study across forests that differ in structure and management, pairing camera outputs with bird counts, insect sampling, and leaf-damage surveys.From these data, we compute the Functional Insectivory Index (FII): a simple, behaviour-based indicator of natural pest control that merges bird abundance, trait-based potential to eat herbivores, and observed predation captured by cameras. FII enables researchers and managers to compare sites consistently and track how management affects biocontrol.The project delivers new evidence on how forest structure and management history shape predator–prey dynamics and bird-mediated pest suppression, plus a reusable open-access toolset (hardware designs, software, datasets) that lowers the cost of precise, high-volume ecological monitoring. As an MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship, it also provides advanced training in AI, field ecology, and open science, strengthening European capacity for nature management. By turning snapshots into flow, ORNISCOPE supports faster, better-informed decisions for a healthier, more resilient nature and smarter landscape management.