Gotta catch 'em all! Elkhart Hill bird banding April 27
ELKHART - The Elkhart Historical Society will host a special bird
banding demonstration on Saturday, April 27, on Elkhart Hill, in conjunction
with the annual spring Wildflower Walks. Lincoln Land Community College biology
professor Tony Rothering was the featured speaker at Elkhart’s Wild Hare Café’s
dinner program last week and spoke about bird watching and banding, and the upcoming
banding event, the first to be conducted in Elkhart.
Slideshow presented by Logan County Paramedic Association
"Elkhart Hill is a beacon in a corn and soybean desert. I’m excited to see what kinds of birds we catch,” said Rothering, who teaches Introduction to Bird Identification at LLCC each spring, assists with the LLCC bird banding station, and is on the board of the Lincoln Land Association of Bird Banders. Elkhart’s mature trees and native plants, and their associated insect populations, make it an ideal location for birds and the humans who like to watch and study them.
Rothering said the success of the banding project will depend on the weather. Migrating birds travel at night, then rest and feed during the day. If the weather and winds are favorable the day before, he said he hopes to see a variety of both migratory and resident species like warblers, thrush, tanagers, woodpeckers, cardinals, sparrows, robins, among others.
The safety of the birds is paramount, so banders use collapsible
mist nets, each about 40 feet long and reaching from two- to seven-feet above
the ground. Birds flying into the nets are caught in pockets of netting until
extracted by the banders. An example net will be set up at the banding station,
but the actual nets will be placed strategically on the hill to maximize
captures.
Every 30 to 40 minutes, banders will check the nets and bring the birds to the station for a sort of wellness check. Visitors will see how weight and other standard body measurements are collected and logged for each bird before it gets an aluminum band with a unique nine-digit number, like a Social Security number, and is released to continue on its way.
Rothering emphasized that anyone finding a deceased banded bird should report it online at www.reportband.gov. He said some people worry they might get in trouble for reporting a found bird but they won’t, and it’s very important for the researchers that the data be reported. The data collected from banding is used to track lifespan and mortality rates, migration patterns, gender ratios, reproduction success, diseases and toxicology, behavior, and other population dynamics.
Over a million birds are banded annually in North America, and the amalgamated data is used in a variety of ways. For example, researchers now know that for some songbird species, only ten percent might survive their first year, but those who do make it through the first 12 months may live for eight to ten years. It has also been discovered that some species that scientists thought always stayed in one habitat actually move to a completely different habitat during their molting season, which has implications for conservation studies.
Bird banding protocol is set by the North American Banding Council, and bird banders are certified or permitted by the United States Geological Society, which collects and aggregates data from bird banders from Canada, the United States, and Mexico. (The banding of water foul and other game birds is regulated by other federal agencies.)
About 60 million Americans are self-described bird watchers or ‘birders’ and spend over $40 billion annually on travel and equipment, but Rothering said the most important things are an interest in learning about birds, a good pair of binoculars, and a practical Field Guide. Successful birders wear neutral colors to blend in with the environment, and keep their eyes and ears open.
"Watch the bird, not the book,” admonished Rothering, referring to field guides. "The book will be there later; the bird may only be there for a moment.”
On Saturday, April 20 and April 27, wildflower-only walks will take place at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. A special combination wildflower and bird walk will be held April 27 at 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. The bird banding will take place throughout the day on April 27. Reservations are required for each of the Walks and can be made by calling 217-947-2238. The cost is $10 per person. An optional lunch is available as well, and reservations for that can be made at the same time.
For more information, call (217) 947-2238 or visit the Elkhart Historical Society on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/elkhartillinoisantiques/or Wildflower and Bird Walk Events: https://www.facebook.com/events/319022078749921/.
Related links:
A Passion for Birds and Bird Banding, Tony Rothering https://www.llcc.edu/public-relations-marketing/spotlights/a-passion-for-birds-and-bird-banding/
Lincoln Land Community College Bird Banding Station on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lincoln-Land-Community-College-Bird-Banding-Station-1623835961203812/
Report a band: https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/BBL/bblretrv/
Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS): https://www.birdpop.org/pages/maps.php