Bird Banding

(Banding scientist Dawn Garcia, who has written a banding column for the past three issues of The White-tailed Kite, presents us with her 2005 banding results and offers us the opportunity to volunteer in the effort)

 

2005 BANDING RESULTS

Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve

 

BBL

Code

Number Captured

Common name

           WESO

4

                  Western Screech-Owl

           NSWO

23

                  Northern Saw-whet Owl

           BEKI

1

                   Belted Kingfisher

           ACWO

1

                   Acorn Woodpecker

           RBSA

1

                   Red-breasted Sapsucker

           BLPH

1

                   Black Phoebe

           HUVI

2

                   Hutton’s Vireo

           OATI

2

                   Oak Titmouse

           BUSH

18

                   Bushtit

           BEWR

3

                   Bewick’s Wren

           AMDI

2

                   American Dipper

           RCKI

12

                   Ruby-crowned Kinglet

           WEBL

5

                   Western Bluebird

           HETH

44

                   Hermit Thrush

           AMRO

2

                   American Robin

           SPTO

21

                   Spotted Towhee

           CALT

1

                   California Towhee

           SOSP

1

                   Song Sparrow

           GCSP

12

                   Golden-crowned Sparrow

           ORJU

14

                   Oregon Junco

           LEGO

5

                   Lesser Goldfinch

           PUFI

2

                   Purple Finch

         Grand

177

150 songbirds - 27 owls

This table lists the number of birds, their Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL) code and common name, captured during our banding season beginning October 5 and ending December 14, 2005 at the Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve (BCCER). The owls were captured during nighttime banding sessions.

Almost 30% (44) of our songbird captures were Hermit Thrushes.  In Butte County, Hermit Thrushes are seen all year round.  However, some migrate in from the north and higher elevations to spend the winter, some migrate through, and some are summer residents. We hope that this year (2006) we will recapture individuals to help determine how they use the area. Spotted Towhees were our next big capture (14%). Towhees are year-round residents so a high capture is expected particularly in our brushy banding sites where we captured most of them.  Surprisingly, 16 (76%) of our Towhee captures were male and of the total, 76% were Hatch-Year (HY) birds.  Bushtits are also resident birds and travel in large, often mixed flocks.  Most of the 18 Bushtits were captured in two net runs with Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Oak Titmice, and Hutton’s Vireos! The next two highest captures were Golden-crowned Sparrows and Oregon Juncos.  We will say goodbye to the Golden-crown Sparrows, winter residents, in late spring as they head to their breeding grounds in Canada and Alaska.  We will continue to see Juncos in the summer but will they be from the population that we banded this winter?  Only recaptures can reveal the answer.

With the support of Altacal Audubon Society and the BCCER, I will schedule a permanent banding day, every 3rd Saturday of the month, at the BCCER to give people an opportunity to plan and attend the sessions.  Stay tuned for my postings in the Altacal newsletter, the White-tailed Kite.  I will also continue to band several times a month, and post outings and resulting captures.  I look forward to this new banding year with volunteers, visitors, and birds!  You can contact me at mel.dawn@sbcglobal.net.  Hope to see you!