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.
