Abstract: An automatic motion triggered camera with improved triggering to produce images with the target animal substantially centered in the field of view. A single motion detector, a camera, and image memory are controlled by a processor that detects changes in the motion detector output and generates a trigger signal for the camera. The trigger follows a first stage of waiting until a predetermined minimum threshold of movement is detected and a second stage of waiting until a further change in the output signal indicative of an animal being substantially centered in the field of view of the camera is detected. Compensation for camera capture delay time can be included by sampling a plurality of motion detector signals, computing an estimated time at which the animal will be centered, and triggering the camera prior to that time.