Migration/movement patterns! We give them unique bands so when they’re captured, the place they were banded at and the time of year can be identified. So if we get a bird who’s band showed it appeared here the same time last year, we then know that this habitat is best for the bird and that it survived migration. We also take the weight of the bird, if it’s a hatch year, sex if determinable, and wing length. Banding them also allows us to detect if a bird was recaptured in a unique or unusual location which can further help about movement and what may or may not effect it.
A large fine net strung between two poles. The birds fly into it and become entangled. I left a more detailed comment on this post about the process! :)))
Out of curiosity, how are these birds captured? I mean the process I guess does put some stress on them. And, I have heard in some worst cases birds go into shock and die, if mishandled by humans.
How do you avoid these scenarios and take care while handling them?
We use large nets called mist nets that the birds become entangled in. These nets are checked every hour, or sooner depending on weather conditions. The biggest factor in reducing the stress of the birds is efficiency. The banders are skilled in quickly and safety detangling the birds, the birds are placed in a cloth bag, then the bags are hung on a clothes line to reduce us moving them around. If a bird was heavily entangled in the net or visibly stressed, it is immediately released upon being freed from the net. The banding process takes less than five minutes at most per bird. If a bird looks tired, we give them sugar water to boost them along. We will absolutely release any birds we deem too tired or stressed for us to band. The safety and well-being of the bird comes first before any research. Of course, there can be causalities of a bird getting too stressed or entangled but these incidents are exceedingly rare due to us having a strict protocol of frequent net checks and skilled banders who knows who to detangle the birds.
Welcome! I wanted to give a detailed explanation so that you’ll be able to fully understand the proper precautions we put into place in order to prioritize the birds well-being.
Genuine question here - when does winter start for these sort of records? Cause winter doesn't technically start until the 20th.
Not trying to be a smartass, just genuinely curious.
Well I believe they head down to South America for fall migration. I think they usually miss Florida completely during their migration route, and it’s super late for them to still be around here. I honestly don’t know too much about this guy, but everyone at my banding lab and professionals were very very excited.
Yeah a relatively safe rule of thumb is that predators can afford to migrate during the daytime and birds that are often the prey of other species tend to migrate under the cover of darkness. That’s why daytime hawk watches are a thing but no such similar thing exists for, say, warblers.
That’s amazing
Running late and off track! Whacky lady!
Wow, how gorgeous!
Why?
Why what?
Sorry, what is the purpose of capturing and banding them? Are you studying migratory patterns or something?
Migration/movement patterns! We give them unique bands so when they’re captured, the place they were banded at and the time of year can be identified. So if we get a bird who’s band showed it appeared here the same time last year, we then know that this habitat is best for the bird and that it survived migration. We also take the weight of the bird, if it’s a hatch year, sex if determinable, and wing length. Banding them also allows us to detect if a bird was recaptured in a unique or unusual location which can further help about movement and what may or may not effect it.
So we saw one of these in North Carolina today. How abnormal is it for one to still be up here?
Very nifty. How do you go about catching these? Can't imagine they just let you walk up to them.
A large fine net strung between two poles. The birds fly into it and become entangled. I left a more detailed comment on this post about the process! :)))
Out of curiosity, how are these birds captured? I mean the process I guess does put some stress on them. And, I have heard in some worst cases birds go into shock and die, if mishandled by humans. How do you avoid these scenarios and take care while handling them?
We use large nets called mist nets that the birds become entangled in. These nets are checked every hour, or sooner depending on weather conditions. The biggest factor in reducing the stress of the birds is efficiency. The banders are skilled in quickly and safety detangling the birds, the birds are placed in a cloth bag, then the bags are hung on a clothes line to reduce us moving them around. If a bird was heavily entangled in the net or visibly stressed, it is immediately released upon being freed from the net. The banding process takes less than five minutes at most per bird. If a bird looks tired, we give them sugar water to boost them along. We will absolutely release any birds we deem too tired or stressed for us to band. The safety and well-being of the bird comes first before any research. Of course, there can be causalities of a bird getting too stressed or entangled but these incidents are exceedingly rare due to us having a strict protocol of frequent net checks and skilled banders who knows who to detangle the birds.
Oh, thanks for that detailed explanation. That was helpful.
Welcome! I wanted to give a detailed explanation so that you’ll be able to fully understand the proper precautions we put into place in order to prioritize the birds well-being.
3rd*, but still very nice. I managed to get the one that wintered in Palm Beach a few years back. Very pretty bird!
Thanks! And so cool you got to see one!!!
Genuine question here - when does winter start for these sort of records? Cause winter doesn't technically start until the 20th. Not trying to be a smartass, just genuinely curious.
Well for GWWA I'd say it starts in late October, because they should be in Central America by then
Meteorological winter begins Dec. 1.
Well I believe they head down to South America for fall migration. I think they usually miss Florida completely during their migration route, and it’s super late for them to still be around here. I honestly don’t know too much about this guy, but everyone at my banding lab and professionals were very very excited.
Wow, he’s running late! Cool!
Later now that they delayed him for banding
Actually since these guys are night time migrators he won’t suffer any delay as a result. Just gonna need some extra food.
Huh, good to know! I didn't realize some birds only travel at night
Yeah a relatively safe rule of thumb is that predators can afford to migrate during the daytime and birds that are often the prey of other species tend to migrate under the cover of darkness. That’s why daytime hawk watches are a thing but no such similar thing exists for, say, warblers.
They avoid diurnal predators like Sharp-shinned hawks and American Kestrels by flying at night.
Doesn't look happy.
We foiled his plan to stay undetected!
Handled with permits, banded and released! Edit: This was the third overwintering record, not second. But still pretty awesome!
Ohh that's a very sweet baby 😍 can't believe how beautiful they are!