THREE FROM BCEC LEARN BIRD-BANDING
By Emma Barry and Sally Beetham Tilley
In support of BCEC’s mission to protect local wildlife and their habitats by contributing to scientific research, three of our members recently participated in the Introduction to Bird Banding training with the Calgary Bird Banding Society (CBBS). Peta, Terrill and Emma have now completed the training, and gained experience working the field as bird-banding assistants at the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary. It was a rich learning opportunity that allowed them to learn more about what CBBS does.
The CBBS aims to quantify long-term population trends of Neotropical migratory birds, to promote involvement and expertise in bird-banding, and to promote conservation of these birds by fostering public awareness and understanding. It was founded in 1995 and joined the Canadian Migratory Monitoring Network (CMMN) in 1998. This national network is a collaborative initiative of bird observatories across Canada, Birds Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada. It provides vital long-term information on bird demographics and population trends for more than 200 bird species in Canada. The migration monitoring data is managed for the network by Birds Canada, where they also regularly analyze and produce population trends, and make the data accessible to the public and other researchers.
Bird-banding has a long history. The first recorded instances are from around 200 BCE, when birds marked with natural paints or string were used by – for instance – the Roman military for communication purposes. Into the Middle Ages paint and thread were used to mark birds used for sport. J. J. Audubon in the USA used bits of wire to ‘band’ birds in the early 1800s for research, and E. T. Seton used printers’ ink to mark Snow Buntings for similar purposes in Canada in 1882. Modern, systematic and scientific bird banding began spread from Denmark to other countries in the late 1890s, where it was pioneered by H. C. C. Mortensen.
There are currently 25 CMMN bird-banding stations across Canada, one of them at the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary. Modern day monitoring involves making repeat observations or measurements over time to determine condition or track change. The key to collecting viable trend figures is the collection of highly standardized daily data. Long-term spring and fall migration monitoring projects are conducted at Inglewood Bird Sanctuary by CBBS and the data is provided to the Institute for Bird Populations in Point Reyes, California. There it is integrated with data from the over 500 other North American stations.
In addition, the Calgary Bird Banding Society has been monitoring migrating Northern Saw-whet Owls at a site in the Foothills west of Calgary since 2004. Monitoring for these birds are well established in eastern North America but sparse in the West. This is therefore of particular interest to us.
During the two-day stint assisting the Bander in Charge, Steve Lane, the BCEC members helped capture 30 birds, including 15 different species and seven recaptures (birds that have been caught previously and are already banded). In addition to banding, measurements such as weight, wing length and age were taken and documented with great precision. The expertise and care exercised by the banders are impressive and ensure the birds’ safety and welfare, adhering to the Bander’s Code of Ethics. Steve Lane’s passion for bird-banding and his sense of wonder were inspiring, and evident throughout the experience.
As BCEC’s Peta Stuart said: “Some mornings, it’s worth rising before the birds. Our time with Steve Lane of the Calgary Bird Banding Society was a true gift – a chance to learn more about our feathered friends and contribute to the science of bird migration. These tiny creatures are nothing short of magical.”
This work highlights the importance of citizen science and community engagement in conservation efforts. If you’re also inspired by this, considered joining BCEC’s Bird Club.
https://braggcreekenvironmentalcoalition.ca
https://calgarybirdbandingsociety.org
www.birdscanada.org/bird-science/canadian-migration-monitoring-network-cmmn
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