We argue here that the increased prevalence and use of sensors in ecology, and the increased availability of networking, has allowed for the development of a new research paradigm, called the Ecological Internet of Things. This new paradigm combines global scale sensor networks collecting a wide array of data types that will enable researchers to address important, pressing ecological questions. This paper presents an overview of this new research paradigm and discusses the challenges that ecologists and conservationists must overcome to realize the full potential of this set of tools and techniques. To facilitate discussion and collaboration, we present a simple ontology for ecological sensors that allows for a common terminology and conceptual vocabulary among researchers with a variety of backgrounds. Lastly, we discuss the necessary next steps that allow for the realization of an Ecological Internet of Things.