Sensor-based monitoring is redefining field ecology, offering new perspectives for high-frequency, low-disturbance data collection. The MonOrniTech pilot project, launched in 2024 in the Lakes Lungo and Ripasottile Nature Reserve (Central Italy), aims to validate the use of Smart Nest Boxes (SNBs) as a scalable tool for long-term ornithological monitoring in protected wetland ecosystems. A total of 170 artificial nest boxes are deployed, equipped with embedded sensors for internal temperature and humidity, and integrated micro-cameras for image capture. Each unit autonomously records time-stamped data at 60-minute intervals, minimizing the need for direct human intervention. Larger boxes include camera traps to monitor reproductive success, and microclimatic conditions are contextualized through nearby ambient sensor stations. The system is designed to overcome key limitations of traditional visual census methods, which are often labor-intensive, temporally sparse, and intrusive. SNBs provide continuous, fine-scale biological and physical data, enabling the detection of occupancy, incubation patterns, and species-specific behaviors—even during nocturnal and early-season phases that are typically under-recorded. While this represents the first documented use of such technology in a European wetland context, its performance is supported by comparable applications in African and Asian field studies. The literature demonstrates high reliability in detecting reproductive phases and internal nest dynamics, confirming the suitability of SNBs for avian ecological research. By integrating IoT-based sensing into standard conservation workflows, MonOrniTech provides a methodological advance with potential for wide replication in Natura 2000 sites and beyond. The project is funded by the European Union – Next Generation EU and is currently in its initial data collection phase, with full analytical outputs expected by half year 2026.