Stanford University’s Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve (JRBP) is in the eastern foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, about five miles southwest of the main campus. The preserve encompasses remarkable geologic, topographic, and biotic diversity within its 483 hectares (1,193 acres) and provides a natural laboratory for researchers from all over the world, educational experiences to students and docent-led visitors, and refuge to native plants and animals.

The Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve live audio stream has been in continuous operation since 2013. The microphone is located near woodland, lake, marsh, and grassland habitats. Birds can be heard throughout the day, although there is a lot more activity around dawn and dusk. Even at night it is usually possible to hear frogs, waterfowl and sometimes owls. The microphone can pick up birds far away, which will sound fainter. Headphones or external speakers can result in better audio quality. See our online photo gallery and bird list for help identifying the birds you hear: Birds of Jasper Ridge Photo Gallery | Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve (stanford.edu)

The audio streaming setup consists of an outdoor electret microphone with a low noise MOSFET pre-amplifier. A Barix Instreamer analog-to-digital encoder, sampling at 44 KHz, streams MPEG-1, audio layer III (MP3) over internet protocol (IP) to Locus Sonus. The Instreamer uplinks to the internet via a Ruckus A/C access point, part of the Preserve's outdoor wireless mesh network.