Sound Recording for Citizen Science - 1st November
About the event
Join Dr. Tess Gridley and the African Bioacoustics Community team in Muizenberg, Cape Town, for a hands-on workshop on Sunday, 2nd August 2026! Discover the fundamentals of acoustic monitoring, from the principles of sound to using recording equipment and understanding animal communication. Participants will engage in a practical acoustic recording session focused on local wildlife and learn how to contribute valuable data to the development of sound libraries for sound ID apps such as Merlin. By joining this course, you will learn the essential skills and confidence to add acoustic recordings to your citizen science contributions. Cost: 650 ZAR per personTime: 09:00 – 15:00 Location: Sea Search Offices, Muizenberg (with recording activities in local nature reserves) Avnic Park, 7 Capricorn Drive, Capricorn Business Park, Muizenberg, Cape Town, 7950Registration: Space is limited; Please secure your spot via Quicket. For additional information, please email AfricanBioacoustics@gmail.com NB. Please bring a packed lunch. Tea, coffee and refreshments will be provided at the Office prior to field recording activities. Acoustic equipment will be provided, but a smart phone capable of downloading apps will be useful. Please dress appropriately for outdoor walking activities.
About the African Bioacoustics CommunityFounded in March 2018, the African Bioacoustics Community (ABC) was established by Dr Tess Gridley (University of Cape Town/Sea Search NGO) to bridge the gap in representation and access to resources for African scientists within the rapidly growing global field of animal sound research. By providing an open networking forum, workshops, and international conferences, the ABC works to make the science of sound accessible to all across the continent, foster vital collaborations, and spotlight African achievements in biodiversity conservation. The Big Year of African SoundsThe 2026 Big Year of African Sounds is a continent-wide citizen science initiative spearheaded by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, alongside African partners such as BirdLife South Africa and the African Bioacoustics Community. While Africa hosts extraordinary avian diversity, its voices are heavily under-represented in global wildlife archives; in fact, fewer than 30% of African bird species have enough audio data to train automated identification tools. This year-long challenge aims to mobilise students, scientists and casual birders alike to record more than 1,800 species across 50+ countries. By capturing and uploading wildlife audio using everyday smartphones or specialised microphones teamed with digital recorders, we can help train future AI conservation tools like the Merlin Bird Sound ID app. This upcoming workshop in Muizenberg is a direct opportunity to connect with the ABC team, undertake hands-on training, begin your recording journey, and contribute your own data to this acoustic snapshot of Africa’s biodiversity! Revenue generated from courses such as this directly supports our research and conservation activities.
