A Powerful New Tool for Monitoring Roosting Crows After Dark

This winter brings an exciting leap forward in our ability to study the dynamics of the overnight communal crow roost located in Lawrence, MA. For years, we have relied on traditional visual observation, audio monitoring, and thermal imaging to piece together what happens once the crows settle into the roost for the night. Now, with the addition of the Deepthink S8 ultra-low-light camera mounted on a DJI Mavic 3 Thermal drone, we are entering a remarkable new phase of night-time observation.

The Deepthink S8 has proven to be a genuinely invaluable tool for monitoring the roost under extremely low natural light. Its extraordinary sensor can capture clear, high-quality imagery in near-darkness, well beyond the limits of what the human eye or a standard drone camera can see. Even on moonless nights, subtle details within the roost canopy become visible, allowing us to follow individual and group movements long after sunset.

What sets the S8 apart is its AI-driven image processing (AI ISP). This technology enhances clarity in real time, reduces noise, and brings crisp definition to scenes that would otherwise appear murky or indistinguishable. When combined with the Mavic 3 Thermal’s stable flight platform and the S8’s own 3-axis gimbal stabilization, the result is consistently smooth, steady imagery, ideal for tracking activity within a densely packed winter roost.

Perhaps most importantly, this camera lets us monitor crow behavior without any invasive lighting whatsoever. We observe strictly under available ambient light, ensuring that our work remains entirely non-disruptive. The drone operates at a well-established buffer distance, high enough and far enough to avoid detection or disturbance while still providing a detailed vantage point into roost structure, micro-movements, and late-night activity levels.

Already, this technology is helping us better understand how the roost settles, how long individual crows remain active after entering, how birds shift positions through the night, and how the overall roost “breathes” and reorganizes in the darkness. These insights, previously beyond reach, are now becoming part of the nightly story.

The Deepthink S8 has quickly become an indispensable addition to our toolkit, dramatically expanding what we are able to monitor, document and learn. As we continue testing and refining its use throughout the season, we look forward to sharing new discoveries about the winter crow roost’s hidden life after dark!