100 YEARS OF BIRD BANDING IN CANADA

22/09/2005 – Billions of migratory birds leave Canada each fall after breeding season, travelling south to winter destinations in the southern U.S.A., Mexico, the Caribbean and Central or South America. This fall will mark the 100th anniversary of Canadian efforts to track the destinations of our migratory birds.
On September 24, 1905, James Henry Fleming placed a band on +the foot of an American Robin in his backyard in Toronto, Ontario, in the hopes of discovering where it went for the winter. One hundred years later, over 900 banders place bands and markers on over 300 000 migratory birds each year in Canada.
“Bird banding is used throughout the works, as a basic tool for bird research and monitoring, “said the Honourable Stéphane Dion, Minister of the Environment. “Banding allows biologists and wildlife managers to study behaviours and ecology, monitor populations and protect endangered species. The study of birds can also be used to address human health and safety concerns such as West Nile virus through capture and taking blood samples.”
Environment Canada’s Bird Banding Office and the United States Geological Survey’s Bird Banding Laboratory have jointly administered the North American Bird Banding Program since 1923.
More than 66 million birds have been banded in North America with close to 4 million encounters for 980 species and subspecies since 1908. Banding and recovery data collected in Canada contribute to ornithological research and the conservation and management of North American migratory birds throughout the Western Hemisphere.
“The information that has gathered in the last 100 years of bird branding in Canada has been phenomenal for the scientific study and conservation of birds,” said Minister Dion. “Ensuring we have sound science information behind our decision making is key to the Government of Canada’s overall approach under Project Green, our broad environmental vision that links Canada’s economic competitiveness and prosperity to a sustainable future.”
At the beginning of the twentieth century, a bird band was a simple hand stamped aluminium band placed around the leg so a bird could be identified and tracked. Now, a century later, that same method is still used, except for birds that spend a lot of time in the water require bands made of stainless steel.
Bands come in different sizes and designs to accommodate a variety of sizes of birds. Hummingbirds are so small that each band must be cut and individually shaped for each bird, whereas larger birds of prey such as hawks and eagles require lock-on or rivet bands so that they cannot be removed by powerful beaks.
Some studies require that individual birds be identified from a distance. In these cases, other marking devices such as colour bands, neck collars, plastic streamers, wing tags, nasal saddles, feather clippings, and paints or dyes are sometimes used in addition to the basic bands.
Canada’s bird banders are highly skilled in bird capture, handling, identification, aging and sexing. Banders must hold a scientific permit issued by the federal government to capture and band migratory birds.
The North American Bird Banding Program relies on the public to report found bird bands. Canadians who find a banded bird or a bird band are asked to note as much information as they can about the bird and its band and contact the Bird Banding Office (http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/nwrc-cnrf/migb/bbo_e.cfm) or toll-free at 1-800-327-BAND.
The Government of Canada’s activities for the protection and conservation of migratory birds are part of the Project Green, a set of policies and programs aimed at supporting a sustainable environment. Project Green addresses environmental initiatives for the 21st century including measures to conserve our biodiversity, protect our water, and clean up contaminated sites.
For more information about bird banding or assisting as a volunteer with a banding project, contact one of the many bird observatories across Canada. Volunteering is the best way to learn the challenging skills necessary to become a bird bander. For a list of bird observatories across Canada view the Canadian Migration Monitoring Network website at http://www.bsc-eoc.org/national/cmmn.html.