CallTrackers
The NatureTrackers Acoustics Project
Season 5: September 2026 - March 2027
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Take a trip – near or far – and put out an audio recorder to help find and monitor bats and the threatened Australasian Bittern
Bookings are now open for the 2026 - 2027 season.
What is CallTrackers?
What is CallTrackers?
CallTrackers is the Bookend Trust’s third and newest NatureTrackers project, aimed at using sound recorders to find and monitor noisy but elusive species. Our initial focus is on Tasmania's 8 bat species, and two threatened birds – the Australasian Bittern and the Far Eastern Curlew – all of which have distinctive calls.
Discover acoustic wildlife monitoring through this project, and help map and track these species' populations. Are their numbers stable, declining or recovering? Choose a location and deploy a recorder, then upload the resulting data. We’ll send you information on which species have been identified thanks to a data pipeline provided by the British Trust for Ornithology. You’ll learn about which species live in your area, their biology, behaviour and conservation needs.
Ready to get started?
Ready to get started?
Our User's Guide has step-by-step instructions on how to get started, all the information you need on finding a survey location, booking a recorder kit, how to use it and how to send in the data. This can be found on the CallTrackers Documentation Page.
How to book a square.
How to book a square.
Reserve a survey square via the on-line booking map and book your detector from one of our distributions centres. (It's much easier to do this using a web browser on a computer than on a phone.)
Squares are colour-coded, with those in blue of special interest for mapping bitterns.
If you're unsure where the wetland is within your square, the CallTrackers Squares Map is here to help. See the Site Access Guide for information.
If you're unsure where the wetland is within your square, the CallTrackers Squares Map is here to help. See the Site Access Guide for information.
Choose a spot that you can access and move around safely. You're responsible for your safety and land access permissions while taking part.
Choose a spot that you can access and move around safely. You're responsible for your safety and land access permissions while taking part.
Do you need land access permission?
Do you need land access permission?
Please note that you may need permission from the landholder to access your chosen location, see our Site Access Guide before booking your square.
You will need to sign up for a British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) account if you're booking a square for the first time. You'll be guided through this process once you've selected your square. The BTO host our square and equipment booking system.
Reserving a recorder kit
Reserving a recorder kit
You can reserve a recorder kit for 11 days at a time. Please allow time for an 8 night deployment and make sure the kit is returned on or before the due date.
Library staff will receive an email a couple of days before a booking starts, so they should be expecting you. When you get there, let them know who you are and why you're there, and they should give you the recorder kit comprising a small case and a bundle of poles.
Once you're familiar with the equipment and procedures, detailed in The CallTrackers User's Guide you're all ready to go!
Part of the booking map. Available squares for September 2026 to March 2027 are shown in green or blue (bonus)
Our detector distribution centres are located at public libraries and National Parks Visitors Centres in Hobart, Launceston, Devonport, Queenstown, Lake St Clair, Smithton, Whitemark and St Helens.
Get ready:
Keep in touch:
Questions?
Questions?
The documentation page is the first port of call.
If you have any questions please don't hesitate to get in touch at acoustic@naturetrackers.au
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