[Raptor235]

The last confirmed sighting of an ivory-billed woodpecker was in 1944, and for most of the twentieth century the bird was believed to be extinct. Possible sightings in 2004 and 2005 revived hope and controversy over whether small groups of the birds may have survived, undetected, for decades, but confirming evidence has been hard to come by. Now, scientists looking for answers are enlisting the help of a robot. The machine is stationed in Arkansas, continually scanning the sky with video cameras and sophisticated imaging software for evidence of birds. The robot has stamina that a human observer would not, enabling constant surveillance of the area, and reduces the risk of disturbing birds with human activity. So far, the camera has captured shots of geese, hawks, and a heron, but no ivory-billed woodpeckers.

Source: Jonathan Fildes, Robot watches out for rare bird. BBC News, February 18.You can find the entire article here http://aboutmyplanet.com/science-tec...es-with-robots