The Bird Is Not the Migration Data: Insights from an Artwork Exploring Machine-Animal Collaboration

This paper documents the process of building a Python-based musical synthesizer that generates musical scores from GPS drift, specifically related to the movement of Golden eagles. The paper walks through the design process of the synthesizer, engaging in philosophical questions that explore data gathering practices and interpretation through the lens of art, poetics, and imagination. It concludes by addressing objectivity and neutrality as forms of an imaginary which, if acknowledged and engaged as such, could create a framework for valuing greater diversity in data science.