INTERING – a new breakthrough in bird migration research
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susan pride
Aug 22, 2025, 8:59:03 AMAug 22
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I posted this on “All Things Swifts UK” FB page and thought it worthy of sharing on SLN for discussion.
I’m not a bird ringer but those with this skill may have some comments. Seems to be an interesting development in trackers. It is an advert for the company making these , but interesting all the same. Photos show progress of Stork Migration 12-20 August 2025.
Words below from the company CEO. 
Currently, bird rings have to be read manually by people – ornithologists, bird enthusiasts, or accidental observers. Without the human eye, nothing was possible! In case of White Storks, during the entire lifespan of such an individual, outside of the nesting site, there are usually only a few to a dozen such readings, made at random locations.
But what if rings could send data by themselves? What if a chip embedded in the ring automatically registered the bird’s presence, without human involvement? In North America, a similar system already exists – MOTUS, based on more than 1,000 receiving stations. The problem? Cost. A single station is worth several thousand dollars.
We propose something completely different. The base stations already exist. They are everywhere. There are billions of them. They are… our mobile phones.
In cooperation with DRUID Technology, we created the INTERING system with its core element – the INTAG. These are tiny nanotags (approx. 0.4 g), which can be mounted in rings, leg flags, or directly on birds. Thanks to this, they are suitable not only for storks, but also for birds weighing as little as 15 g – e.g. swifts, wagtails, or swallows.
How does it work? Once a bird enters the range of a randomly encountered phone (approx. 150 m), the INTAG automatically retrieves its GPS location. This is a massive leap in quality – compared to geolocators, whose error margin can reach hundreds of kilometers!
Currently tested on White Storks, INTAGs operate within the encrypted network, consisting of hundreds of millions of devices. This means that the number of location fixes increases hundreds or even thousands of times compared to traditional rings. We can now track the route, speed, and precise migration patterns of individual birds – almost in real time.
Why is this a breakthrough?
Low costs – the price of one INTAG is 69–89 USD, many times cheaper than alternative solutions.
Zero mistakes – each INTAG has a unique digital identity, eliminating the risk of misreading ring numbers.
Citizen science in practice – anyone carrying a mobile phone can become part of a global network monitoring birds. Even if we don’t see the bird – it only needs to fly overhead or perch on a roof nearby.
What’s next?
In summer 2025, the first 250 INTAGs were fitted to White Storks. The initial data already reveal incredibly detailed insights into their migration routes. And this is only the beginning! The next step is miniaturization, which will make it possible to use the system on even the smallest bird species.
INTERING is the vision of the “internet of animals” – a global network where billions of phones help uncover the secrets of bird migration.
Currently, bird rings have to be read manually by people – ornithologists, bird enthusiasts, or accidental observers. Without the human eye, nothing was possible! In case of White Storks, during the entire lifespan of such an individual, outside of the nesting site, there are usually only a few to a dozen such readings, made at random locations.
But what if rings could send data by themselves? What if a chip embedded in the ring automatically registered the bird’s presence, without human involvement? In North America, a similar system already exists – MOTUS, based on more than 1,000 receiving stations. The problem? Cost. A single station is worth several thousand dollars.
We propose something completely different. The base stations already exist. They are everywhere. There are billions of them. They are… our mobile phones.
In cooperation with DRUID Technology, we created the INTERING system with its core element – the INTAG. These are tiny nanotags (approx. 0.4 g), which can be mounted in rings, leg flags, or directly on birds. Thanks to this, they are suitable not only for storks, but also for birds weighing as little as 15 g – e.g. swifts, wagtails, or swallows.
How does it work? Once a bird enters the range of a randomly encountered phone (approx. 150 m), the INTAG automatically retrieves its GPS location. This is a massive leap in quality – compared to geolocators, whose error margin can reach hundreds of kilometers!
Currently tested on White Storks, INTAGs operate within the encrypted network, consisting of hundreds of millions of devices. This means that the number of location fixes increases hundreds or even thousands of times compared to traditional rings. We can now track the route, speed, and precise migration patterns of individual birds – almost in real time.
Why is this a breakthrough?
Low costs – the price of one INTAG is 69–89 USD, many times cheaper than alternative solutions.
Zero mistakes – each INTAG has a unique digital identity, eliminating the risk of misreading ring numbers.
Citizen science in practice – anyone carrying a mobile phone can become part of a global network monitoring birds. Even if we don’t see the bird – it only needs to fly overhead or perch on a roof nearby.
What’s next?
In summer 2025, the first 250 INTAGs were fitted to White Storks. The initial data already reveal incredibly detailed insights into their migration routes. And this is only the beginning! The next step is miniaturization, which will make it possible to use the system on even the smallest bird species.
INTERING is the vision of the “internet of animals” – a global network where billions of phones help uncover the secrets of bird migration.
Regards
Susan Pride ( Harwell Swifts)
Susan Pride ( Harwell Swifts)
steveklikr
Aug 22, 2025, 10:14:53 AMAug 22
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Fantastic!
Count me in
Steve Holroyd
Sent from my phone
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Dick Newell
Aug 22, 2025, 12:17:39 PMAug 22
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I wonder how this thing is powered, Battery? Solar?.
Can they really hijack every mobile phone for their own purposes? Or does each mobile owner have to download an app to take part?
It seems to work on storks, a bit different from Swifts.
Dick
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