Rethinking How We “Count” Birds: A Q&A with Tong Mu
by Cara Clase, Princeton University’s Center for Policy Research on Energy and the Environment (C-PREE)
April 9, 2026
Preserving a network of high-quality habitat is essential to the conservation of migratory bird populations. Conservation programs often rely on “bird abundance data” to track population trends and identify priority areas for protection. At first glance, analyzing bird abundance data may seem like a straightforward task where observers simply count how many birds pass through an area. However, migratory patterns are complex and have nuances that can be missed by more traditional abundance measures.
Delving deeper into the limitations of bird abundance data and how to overcome them, this Q&A covers findings from a led by C-PREE postdoc Tong Mu and Professor David Wilcove. Published in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, this study introduces a novel “demand and supply” framework that offers deeper insights into habitat quality and bird population dynamics.
Keep reading: https://cpree.princeton.edu/news/2026/rethinking-how-we-%E2%80%9Ccount%E2%80%9D-birds-qa-tong-mu
Read the Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment paper: https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/fee.70035