The project, developed in collaboration with the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) and tested through the Urban Sandbox, uses acoustic sensors in La Devesa and the Turia Garden to generate real-time biodiversity indicators.
The initiative enables the City Council to make better-informed environmental decisions while providing a public website where citizens can explore detected bird species and follow birdwatching routes.
The Valencia City Council and the Institute of Telecommunications and Multimedia Applications (iTEAM) at the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) have launched Valencia-BioSoundScape, an innovative project that combines artificial intelligence, acoustic monitoring and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to analyse urban biodiversity through the city’s soundscape.
During the project, researchers monitored bird activity across several natural areas in Valencia and developed a pilot system capable of identifying bird species in real time. Valencia-BioSoundScape collected acoustic data using monitoring devices installed at eight strategic locations: five within the Turia Garden and three in La Devesa of L’Albufera Natural Park. The sensors recorded the soundscape during peak bird activity at dawn and dusk, creating a unique database on the city’s acoustic biodiversity.
The project was developed in collaboration with the University of Seville and is based on IoT technology, using internet-connected devices that automatically collect and transmit data. Each monitoring unit integrates a microphone, an AI-powered mini-computer, a self-powered battery and mobile connectivity. Thanks to its scalable and replicable design, the system can be deployed in additional parks and natural areas beyond the city of Valencia.
Using these audio recordings, the system identifies bird species through BirdNET, the bird sound recognition model developed by Cornell University. At the same time, researchers from iTEAM and the Computer Vision and Behaviour Analysis Lab (CVBLab) at UPV are developing new artificial intelligence models to improve the identification of the bird species most commonly found in Valencia.
Project results and birdwatching routes available through a public platform
The results of the project are publicly available through the BioSoundScape web platform. Developed by Artikode Intelligence, the platform allows users to explore the bird species detected, listen to their songs, learn about their seasonal presence and access the biodiversity indicators generated through acoustic monitoring.
The platform also includes birdwatching routes designed by SEO/BirdLife (Spanish Ornithological Society) and adapted to different times of the year, encouraging new opportunities for ecotourism and environmental education across the city of Valencia.
Councillor for Innovation Paula Llobet highlighted the significance of the initiative: “This project shows how innovation can help us better understand our natural environment and move towards a more sustainable city. The Urban Sandbox enables innovative solutions to be tested in real-life conditions, positioning Valencia as a benchmark for innovation that addresses urban challenges.”
She also stressed that: “Our collaboration with the Universitat Politècnica de València enables us to develop technologies that create real value for both the city and its citizens.”
About the project
Valencia-BioSoundScape was selected under the Valencia City Council’s 2024 Public Innovation Grants, within the project “Ecotourism and Biodiversity in the City of Valencia through Acoustic Monitoring and Artificial Intelligence.”
The project ran for eighteen months, from December 2024 to June 2026, and was led by Gema Piñero, researcher in the GTAC research group at the Institute of Telecommunications and Multimedia Applications (iTEAM) of the Universitat Politècnica de València.
In addition to iTEAM-UPV, project partners included the Computer Vision and Behaviour Analysis Lab (CVBLab) at UPV, Artikode Intelligence, the Electronic Technology and Industrial Computing Group at the University of Seville, and SEO/BirdLife. The deployment of the acoustic monitoring devices was coordinated and managed through the Valencia City Council’s Urban Sandbox service.