Listening and Making Beats With the Birds: An Outdoor Music‐Based Toolkit for Youth Engagement and Conservation Technologies
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Biodiversity loss and unequal access to nature limit both ecological knowledge and opportunities for experiential learning. Here I present a portable, power outlet–independent educational toolkit that integrates AI‐assisted bird detection (Haikubox, BirdNET‐Pi, Merlin Bird ID) with off‐the‐shelf sound‐recording and music‐creation hardware using Ableton Move. This interdisciplinary approach engages participants in active listening, outdoor exploration, and place‐based music‐making using locally recorded bird vocalizations. Self‐reflection from two case studies in Connecticut and California, USA, suggests that this approach can (1) broaden participation in biodiversity monitoring, (2) help demystify AI and acoustic sensing technologies, (3) generate biodiversity observations, and (4) offer an accessible model for integrating music into environmental education. By linking environmental justice, ecological monitoring, biodiversity gap‐filling, and critical engagement with who participates in biodiversity data collection, alongside creative expression, this approach offers a scalable strategy to reconnect with nature.
DOI: 10.1002/bes2.70073
Author: Diego Ellis‐Soto
Institution: University of California, Berkeley
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid:
OpenAlex ID: W7135395985