High School Students Build Robotic Birds to Support Sage Grouse Population at Grand Teton National Park

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 08:34:00 +0200

At Grand Teton National Park, high school students, guided by robotics mentor Gary Duquette, have developed robotic bird decoys to help restore the declining sage grouse population. These robotic birds, sometimes described as 'Frankenbirds,' play recorded breeding calls starting at 5 a.m. daily. Constructed from a mix of 3D-printed components, feathers from angling supplies, and packaging foam, the devices cost about $150 each. Early challenges included spikes in electric currents that burned out servo motors, teaching students to understand and correct issues with voltage and amperage using Arduino controllers and voltage converters. The project provides students with valuable hands-on experience in real-world problem-solving. Wyoming Game and Fish staffers contributed authentic grouse wings collected from hunter surveys. Trail cameras are being used during the breeding season, which runs through mid-May, to monitor the real birds' reactions. If successful, this initiative may serve a