May 15, 2005
Bird Banding
First, we wanted to share some additional news from the Vermont Initiative people. In the last log post we mentioned how our eaglets at the cam nest were starting to stand in the branches of the tree nest. Lil Lumbra, the VT media person has explained how it will happen at the hacking tower:
"The doors to the hack box will probably be removed around the first week of June. The bird's behavior will indicate when it will happen. As they become more restless, flapping wings, etc., we will remove the doors. In front of the hack box is a 3' wide platform with areas for perching. We want the birds to venture out of the box before they can fly so that they learn to come back to the box for food. This is called branching."
So the VT eaglets will be doing the same thing that our cam nest eaglets are doing in preparation for flight. Now onto bird banding...
When Craig Koppie was in the nest about ten days ago, he banded all three eaglets before he left. If you look closely at the eaglets' talons, you can sometimes see a silver-colored band on one of their feet. This brings up a good opportunity to talk a little about the important science of bird banding.
Banding -- or ringing in Europe -- has been going on for centuries, with the earliest recorded banding done by Henry IV, who banded his peregrine falcons.
Today, birds are banded in order to help biologists learn more about dispersal, migration, behavioral and social structure, life span, and population growth. Much valuable information has been learned about bird life through the use of bands.
Today there are four common types of bird bands: butt-end bands (the most common), lock-on bands used on hawks and owls, rivet bands used on eagles, and hard metal bands used on long-living birds or birds living in harsh salt water environments. Bands come in many sizes so they can accommodate all types of birds, and as the photo to the right proves, no bird is too small for a band (click on thumbnail photo).
When Craig banded the eaglets, he used a rivet band, which is a common band for eagles. The rivet band is made of a harder metal than the lock-on band, and this sturdiness prevents the band from being damaged by the eagle's powerful beak. Craig states that the bands do not heat up in the sun and won't harm the eaglets' feet.
Federal bands, such as the eaglets' are wearing, are issued in the U.S. and Canada and have 8 or 9 numbers with the words "WRITE BIRD BANDING LAUREL MD 20708" or "AVISE BIRD BAND WASH DC." ("Avise" loosely means "advise" in several languages). Some bands also have 1-800-327 BAND -- the toll-free number for the Bird Banding Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, which collects federal bird band reports.
While banding is important, what is equally important is that individual citizens help bird biologists by reporting when they find either a band or a bird that is wearing a band. In 2001, 1,049,646 birds were banded in the U.S. and Canada, and 97,204 recoveries were reported to the Bird Banding Laboratory. As for eagles, the count that year was 539 banded, 159 recovered (of course, not all that were recovered were banded the same year).
If you find a band or a bird that is wearing a band, there are several ways you can report it. First, visit the Bird Banding Laboratory website to determine what kind of band you have found and whether it's one that the Lab collects data on. Then you can either phone in a report, send it through the mail, or file it electronically on the Lab's website. The Lab will need to know the band number, and how, when, and where the band or bird was found.
On their website you can also find information about filing a report for auxiliary marked birds, such as those with only neck collars, colored leg bands, wing tags, or radio tags.
And if you find a band that has unreadable numbers, you can send it to the Lab and they can retrieve the numbers using a process known as etching, which employs a strong acid solution to bring out the band's inscription. Visit the Lab website for instructions on the proper way to mail in a band.
The North American Bird Banding Program is jointly administered by the U.S. Department of Interior and the Canadian Wildlife Service. The two countries' banding offices use the same bands and reporting forms. The 1-800-327 BAND is a toll-free number from anywhere in Canada, the U.S. and most parts of the Caribbean.
Visit the Bird Banding Laboratory website if you'd like to learn more about the history of banding or if you'd like to learn how a person becomes a licensed bander.
Until next time,
Lisa - webmaster