New publication on the use of drones for survival estimates

Survival estimates for the CINDI Project are derived from drone imagery taken from weekly surveys. This method of monitoring was pioneered by CINDI PI Dr. Dale Gawlik and his graduate student Rostam Mirzadi from a prior study conducted at Lake Okeechobee, Florida. Mirzadi investigated the utility of drones for nest survival for his masters thesis and is continuing his investigations on methods and applications of drones for nest counts and survival in his doctoral studies at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi. His nest survival estimates are being used to develop the NOAA CINDI tool.

A recent publication by Mirzadi and Dr. Gawlik in the Journal of Field Ornithology highlights the results of their research at Lake Okeechobee. Their results emphasize that drone-derived survival estimates are comparable to traditional ground-based surveys and crewed aerial surveys, but offer distinct advantages by increasing frequency of surveys, producing high-resolution images, and reducing colony disturbance.

You can download and read the publication here.

Mirzadi, R., and D. Gawlik. 2026. Waterbird nest survival derived from drone surveys. Journal of Field Ornithology 92(2):11. https://doi.org/10.5751/JFO-00765-970211