WILLISTOWN CONSERVATION TRUST

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
GIVE
  • About
    • HOW WE WORK
    • WHERE WE WORK
    • DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION STATEMENT
    • OUR STAFF AND TRUSTEES
    • OUR NATURE PRESERVES
    • JOBS & INTERNSHIPS
    • STRATEGIC PLAN
    • FAQs
  • LATEST
    • BLOG
    • PUBLICATIONS
    • IN THE NEWS
    • PHOTOS
  • PROGRAMS
    • BIRD CONSERVATION
    • COMMUNITY FARM
    • EDUCATION
    • LAND PROTECTION
    • STEWARDSHIP
      • TRAILS
    • WATERSHED PROTECTION
  • EVENTS
    • EVENT CALENDAR
    • BARNS & BBQ
    • RUN-A-MUCK
    • WILDFLOWER WEEK
    • PLASTIC FREE JULY
    • RUSHTON NATURE KEEPERS (RNK)
  • Support
    • SPONSOR THE TRUST
      • CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM
    • JOIN THE SYCAMORE SOCIETY
    • LEGACY SOCIETY & PLANNED GIVING
    • CAMPAIGN FOR RUSHTON WOODS PRESERVE
    • WAYS TO GIVE
    • VOLUNTEER
    • OUR SUPPORTERS
  • Rushton Conservation Center
You are here: Home / Bird Banding / Bird Banding Proven to Be Safe for the Birds

Bird Banding Proven to Be Safe for the Birds

July 8, 2011 By Communications Team

Bird banding has been around since the 1950s as the authoritative technique for monitoring bird populations and studying their movements, lifespan, and ecology.  The first thing people usually ask when they observe mist netting and bird banding for the first time is something to the effect of, “Do the birds get hurt?”

Ruby Crowned Kinglet in net
Ruby Crowned Kinglet in mist net. One of North America's smallest birds, but the female's large clutch of eggs (each 0.65g) can outweigh herself!

Trained bird banders have handled hundreds or thousands of birds and know exactly how they can and cannot handle the bird in order to avoid injury.  In addition, banders are constantly monitoring external conditions and do not hesitate to close nets that are exposed to strong wind gusts, rain, extreme temperatures, direct sun or predation.  Mist nets of the correct gauge are a very safe way to catch birds; they hit the soft net and are then cradled in a pocket where they remain until the bander arrives and extracts them as quickly and safely as possible using specific techniques.  Good banders are also always monitoring the birds’ health status in the hand;  signs of stress include “crowning” (meaning the feathers on the head are sticking up) or “fluffing” (when all the body feathers are fluffed out), “winking” (when the birds eyes are closing), or panting (when the bird’s mouth is wide open attempting to cool off).  If a bird seems too stressed, we either let it go after banding without processing it (lightly referred to as “ringing and flinging”) or we streamline the process to only include vital information such as weight, wing cord and band number.

Unfortunately, every once in a while a bird may get injured, often while thrashing around too much in the net.  Birds are miraculous creatures though, and they heal much faster and more successfully than people!  It’s not uncommon for banders to catch a one legged bird year after year that is doing well and breeding.  Deaths are more seldom than injuries and usually occur because the bird was already in poor condition when the bander received it.  This is common during migration for tiny birds like Wilson’s Warblers and Ruby Crowned Kinglets that didn’t have enough fat reserves for the long journey.

Male and Female American Redstart
Male and Female American Redstart pair banded together at Powdermill Avian Research Center, Spring 2011. Don't they look good together? For a bander, two birds in the hand are much better than two in a bush!

Ultimately, the contributions of bird banding to our understanding of birds and their conservation greatly outweighs the risks to individual birds.  You can rest assured knowing that most bird banders love birds even more than they love science and are not willing to sacrifice the life of even one bird simply  for the sake of science.

We thought you might be interested in this  Conservation Magazine article about the risks of injuries to birds during banding.   Finally, banders have scientific evidence to prove that bird banding  is indeed safe for the birds.  Thanks for sharing, Lisa!

Jr. Birder studying a bird guide
A Jr. Birder studies the field guide intently.

Last, but not least, please don’t forget to invite your children or any that you know (ages 8-12) to next week’s PA Young Birders meeting at Rushton Farm, “The Birds and the Beaks”: Wednesday July 13th, 6:00-7:30pm.  Junior birders will learn about fascinating bird beaks and eating habits, and they will study how each bird is perfectly adapted to obtain and eat specific foods.  Then the children will be transformed into birds themselves and experience what it really means to “eat like a bird…”

Hope to see you there!

Baby Birdie Blog coming soon…

~Blake

Filed Under: Bird Banding

OUR NATURE PRESERVES

Our nature preserves are open to the public 365 days per year from sunrise to sunset, providing natural places that offer peace and respite for all. Willistown Conservation Trust owns and manages three nature preserves in the Willistown area - Ashbridge, Kirkwood and Rushton Woods Preserve. We maintain these lands for the … Learn more about our nature preserves.

Upcoming Events

23 March

Stewardship Volunteer Thursday

View Detail
23 March
Rushton Conservation Center

SOLD OUT Untold Stories From the History of Bird Migration Research

915 Delchester Road, Newtown Square, PA

View Detail
25 March

Partner Event | CRC’s 25th Annual Streams Cleanup

View Detail
No event found!
Load More

DONATE TODAY!

Invest in Nature! ENGAGE CONNECT SPONSOR LEAVE A LEGACY   If you would like to make a gift of securities, such as stocks, bonds, or mutual fund shares, please contact us at 610-353-2562 for instructions. For more … Donate Today

CONTACT

925 Providence Road
Newtown Square, PA 19073
(610) 353-2562
land@wctrust.org

WHERE WE WORK

The work of the Willistown Conservation Trust is concentrated on 28,000 acres of Willistown Township … read more

JOIN OUR MAILING LIST

FAQs

Copyright © 2023 · WCTRUST.ORG