We are excited to have you join us on a journey into animal communication and the science of bioacoustics...focused on wolves in the heart of Yellowstone National Park.

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Each morning, participants will venture into the field to search for wolves and other wildlife, focusing on animal behavior, vocal communication, and bioacoustics research. As part of the Yellowstone Wolf Project’s ongoing bioacoustics studies, we will explore how wolves and other species use sound to navigate their world, coordinate as a pack, and interact with their environment. After a morning of fieldwork, participants will return to Lamar Buffalo Ranch for a late lunch, followed by a lecture with Dr. Jeff Reed, who will provide expert insights into the science of bioacoustics and its role in wildlife conservation.

In the afternoons, students will have the option to:

• Join a guided natural history snowshoe trek, looking for wildlife sign while experiencing Yellowstone’s vast and dynamic soundscape.

• Participate in an early evening wildlife observation drive, conditions permitting, to listen for and observe animal vocalizations in different settings.

• Evenings will feature films, bioacoustic case studies, and group discussions, providing a deeper understanding of how sound recording and analysis contribute to the study and protection of wildlife.

Specific topics to be covered include:

• Understand how animals use sound and other sensory channels to communicate.

• Identify different wolf vocalizations and their functions, from howls to growls and beyond.

• Learn to use affordable recording equipment to capture and interpret the sounds of animals in your own environment.

Holy Curiosity: Einstein once said we should never lose our “holy curiosity” about the world—and that’s exactly the spirit we’re bringing to this field course. We want your time in Yellowstone to be full of discovery and, most of all, joy. Everyone learns a little differently, so this class is designed to be flexible and fun. We’ll spend plenty of time outside, watching wildlife (yes, that means wolves!) in their element. Our talks will dive into how wolves communicate—but we’ll also wander into the language of humans, birds, and a few other wild storytellers along the way. And for those who want to geek out a bit, we’ll have an optional breakout session on bioacoustics—how to record and decode the voices of animals wherever your adventures take you, including your own backyard. Reach out to Jeff at jeff@reedfly.com if there are particular topics you really, really, really want him to cover.

We’re not here to earn PhDs—just to learn, explore, and have a good time! But if you’d like to do a little prep before the class, here are a few fun resources to dive into.

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Recommended Reading:

• Rick McIntyre (2024). Thinking like a wolf: Lessons from the Yellowstone packs. Greystone Books.

• Karen Bakker (2022). The sounds of life: How digital technology is bringing us closer to the worlds of animals and plants. Princeton University Press.

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Recommended Video: 

• Jeff Reed, Can AI Help Us Speak with Wolves (2025 TED Talk)

• Jeff Reed and Dan Stahler, Using AI to Study Wolves in Yellowstone (2025 Montana PBS)

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​Bioacoustics:

• How To Interpret Spectrograms

• Simple Ways to Record Animals

• Audio Recording Devices:

  • Cell Phone: optionally with software like "Song Meter Touch" for Android or iPhone​

  • Video Camera such as Nikon Coolpix with directional microphone from Sennheiser or Zoom

  • Autonomous Recording Unit (ARU): Wildlife Acoustics (low cost solution here, bring it to the class and I'll help you set it up) or Audiomoth; or, if you're really into birds, Bird Weather.

• Audio Analysis Software:​

  • Adobe Audition (my favorite but pricey)​

  • Raven Sound Analysis (free and fee options)

  • Kaleidoscope (free and fee options, with excellent webinar training)

  • Audacity (free, but mainly made for musicians)

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Jeffrey Reed is a computational linguist and software engineer, decoding the secrets of animal communication, from wolf howls to elk bugles, using AI-driven technology built in Montana...his birthplace. Jeff started The Cry Wolf Project, a large-scale bioacoustics study in the Greater Yellowstone area. Jeff's latest venture Grizzly Systems is reimagining how to protect and promote the world's last wild places. Active in conservation, he co-founded Wild Livelihoods Business Coalition and works to protect wild soundscapes and share them with others. He is finishing a book on wolf communication, published by Little, Brown and Company.