A Component System for Broadcasting Sound for Research and Management

We designed, deployed, and evaluated a sound broadcast system for use in an experiment investigating response of songbirds to conspecific vocalizations in habitat selection; the system was functional, flexible, and allowed for easy assembly, customization, and repair. Broadcast of sound in the field can enable study of animal response to predators, conspecifics, heterospecifics, noise, and other stimuli and is being considered for a variety of management applications. However, no published method is available for building a sound broadcast system from readily available components for use in the field.