Advanced Bird Banding Workshop

Refine your bird banding expertise and deepen your understanding of molt strategies, feather morphology, and plumage identification in this intensive advanced workshop. Designed for experienced banders, this class offers individualized instruction that builds on your existing skills, with a curriculum tailored to your current level and goals.

Course Requirements: This workshop requires previous bird banding experience. Before attending, participants should be comfortable with:

• Handling and setting up mist-nets
• Extracting birds safely from mist-nets
• Aging birds, specifically distinguishing hatch-year from after-hatch-year birds

What You’ll Learn:

• Enhanced Mist Net Techniques: Improve your speed and safety during bird extractions to optimize both accuracy and bird welfare.
• Advanced Bird-Handling Skills: Master bird-handling techniques, including proper grips and methods to minimize stress on birds during the banding process.
• Precision in Aging and Sexing: Hone your in-hand aging and sexing abilities, focusing on fine details such as skulling, scoring, and identifying molt limits.

Afternoon Lectures & Discussions:

• Avian Life Histories & Energetics: Learn how birds’ life cycles and energy needs influence their behavior and physical characteristics.
• Detailed Study of Molts & Plumages: Delve into the complexities of molt cycles and plumage changes, and how these factors can aid in identification.
• Banding’s Role in Research & Monitoring: Explore how banding contributes to ornithological research, population monitoring, and conservation efforts.

Stay on the beautiful Wolf Ridge campus, where lodging and hearty meals are provided to ensure a comfortable and immersive learning experience. Participants are encouraged to bring questions and observations from their own banding work, allowing for personalized guidance from instructor Danielle Kaschube. For more information, visit the Institute for Bird Populations website or contact the instructor directly.

Take this opportunity to expand your bird banding skills in a supportive, focused environment, and join a community of fellow banders dedicated to the study and conservation of birds.