We held our first bird banding station on May 15th for the MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity Survivorship) Program with Alabama Audubon. Thanks to Lianne Koczur - AL Audubon, Mercedes Maddox - AL DCNR (Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Kevin Shaw - UA grad student, Alliemarie Humphries - AL Audubon, Eva Ledvina - AL Audubon (JCIB) work study student (we love the Turkey Creek Nature Preserve hat).
Report from Jamie Nobles, Conservation Director:
We had 10 mist nets set up around the Wetlands and Maggie's field. Nets opened at sunrise and closed 6 hours later. The handlers provided regular rounds to remove captured birds from the nets and took them to the banding location at the pavilion. Captured birds were banded, sexed, aged, weighed, and measured then released. The primary goal of this program is to provide annual indices of breeding success and population data.
We banded 12 species and 23 individuals:
Northern Cardinal (6)
Eastern Towhee (1)
Kentucky Warbler (1)
White-eyed Vireo (5)
Hooded Warbler (1)
Eastern Phoebe (1)
*Magnolia Warbler (1) - migrant
Indigo Bunting (1)
Carolina Wren (2)
Swainson's Warbler (2)
Wood Thrush (1)
Summer Tanager (1)
We also netted 2 other species that were not banded: Common Yellowthroat (escaped prior to banding), Ruby-throated Hummingbird (not permitted to band).
Other birds observed or heard in the area during this time but not netted include: Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Chickadee, Brown Thrasher, Acadian Flycatcher, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Red-eyed Vireo, American Crow, Blue Jay, Great Blue Heron, Red-bellied, Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Turkey Vulture, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Barred Owl.
https://alaudubon.org/research/
https://www.birdpop.org/pages/maps.php
*All birds were handled and banded by biologists with the proper state and federal permits*
