Baby Bluebirds on the Greenway
If you have ever spent some time on the Greenway, no doubt you’ve enjoyed the wildlife that lives along it. The birds, fish, butterflies, bees, ducks and geese, mink, frogs, turtles, and other animals change with the seasons and provide an endlessly changing backdrop. For the past several years, there were three birdhouses on the Greenway. This year we added seven new birdhouses, and all 10 are occupied! Four bluebirds, five tree swallows, and a nuthatch have taken up residence in the new or renovated birdhouses.
Tim Rocke, a federally licensed bird bander, has been busy tending to this year’s occupants. He reports that as of late May, every box either had eggs or hatchlings. Most young songbirds need to be between one and two weeks old before they can be banded, and three birdhouses had baby birds of that size. “First I try to band the adult female and/or male. If there are eggs, I check back after they hatch. When they are big enough, I carefully remove the young birds and quickly band them before returning them to the nest. The window for banding is narrow, since the babies usually fledge after a couple weeks.”
The bands are small metal “anklets” that are crimped around one of the bird’s legs. Bands come in a variety of sizes, and the species of bird determines which size band is used. Each band is etched with a unique eight or nine digit number. Once the band has been attached, the information is then recorded in a national database, listing the location, date, species, and approximate age and sex of the bird. Are you concerned that attaching or wearing the bands hurts the birds? Don’t worry – licensed bird banders are trained to do this without harming the birds. You might also wonder why anyone bothers banding birds.
Tim Rocke on the Greenway banding a blue bird
“The reason volunteer for this program” Rocke adds “is because it’s fascinating to work with and learn about the birds”. Data from the banding program helps with scientific research, management, and conservation. Researchers use this data to study things like age and health of the birds, migration routes, and population changes. What should you do if you come across a bird with a band on it’s leg? Just go to www.reportband.gov and answer several simple questions including the date you found the bird, the species if you know it, and the number on the band. You can also learn more about the programs and research findings there, and see close-up photos of different size bands.
From the USGS/Department of the Interior website: “All banding, marking, and sampling is being conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey”
Tim Rocke has a Bird Banding Permit, which he became eligible for after several years of working with scientists Dr. Jill and Lance Morrow of New Market. They initiated the Shenandoah Valley Raptor Project in 2008, which now has 90 kestrel next boxes in the 144 square mile study area. Every spring and early summer you’ll find them checking on their boxes. The Morrows have banded thousands of kestrels and other birds over the years.