AI birdsong trial maps pig and poultry farm biodiversity

Pilgrim’s Europe has completed a biodiversity monitoring trial across 40 livestock farms, using AI-powered birdsong technology to measure bird populations and wider ecosystem health.

The project involved 10 broiler farms in Lincolnshire and 30 pig farms in Norfolk, where acoustic recording devices were installed for 21 days to capture bird activity.

The recordings were analysed using Chirrup.ai technology to identify species and assess biodiversity levels.

See also: Landscape Recovery: In conversation with Tony Juniper

The findings have provided the company with a baseline of biodiversity data across its farming supply chain and highlighted how farm management decisions can influence wildlife habitats.

Insights from the trial are expected to help guide future decisions on measures such as hedgerow management, grass cutting and tree planting.

Measuring biodiversity

Anna Ganiford, sustainable agriculture manager at Pilgrim’s Europe, said the project offered a new way to measure biodiversity on farms.

“Our farmers are already doing incredible work to look after their land, and this project gives us a new way to recognise and build on that,” she said.

“By trialling Chirrup.ai’s technology, we can start to listen to nature and make biodiversity something measurable, not just visible.

“What this trial has really given us is clarity. We now have a much better understanding of biodiversity across our farms and the role that everyday farm management plays in shaping that.

“Importantly, it gives us a baseline we didn’t have before – so we can track progress and make more informed decisions about where to focus efforts going forward.”

The biodiversity work forms part of Pilgrim’s Europe’s wider sustainability research programmes, including projects focused on nitrogen efficiency, breeding and land use aimed at reducing emissions, improving soil health and increasing farm resilience.