[birdky] Fall Migration banding

Migration Banding at KDFWR Headquarters 2008

 

KDFWR continued a songbird migration banding station in a wetland
complex at KDFWR Headquarters in the fall of 2008 to investigate the use
of this site by SWAP priority species and neotropical migrants.  The
migration station was operated at KDFWR Headquarters on eight dates
between September 4 and November 6, 2008.  

During operation, 6 mist nets (32 mm mesh) were opened at sunrise and
operated for at least 3 hours.  Nets were checked and cleared of birds
every hour, or as weather dictated.  KDFWR staff (and volunteers) banded
birds with USGS aluminum leg bands and recorded morphological
measurements and plumage characteristics including wing chord, mass, fat
stores, the extent of flight feather and body molt, and the degree of
feather wear.  When possible, birds were aged and sexed using a
combination of the degree of skull pneumaticization (aging) and plumage
characteristics (aging and sexing), including the presence or absence of
molt limits.  

We netted for a total of 147 net hours for an average of 18.4 net hours
per day of operation. We captured 144 individuals of 26 species (Table 1
and 2), for a capture rate of 0.98 birds per net hour.  This capture
rate equates to the capture of 18 birds on an average day (i.e., 18.4
net hours).  Additionally, we recaptured 23 previously banded birds,
representing 10 species.  The most notable of recaptures was probably a
white-throated sparrow which was banded at KDFWR headquarters on October
9, 2006 (recaptured on October 17, 2008).  There were also two gray
catbirds and a northern cardinal recaptured this fall which were
originally banded in the fall of 2006. Two Species of Greatest
Conservation Need (SGCN) as listed in Kentucky's SWAP were captured
(Table 3). 

 

 

Table 1.  Avian captures for each banding date during songbird migration
banding study.

DATE

New Bands

Recaptures

Grand Total

9/4/2008

26

3

29

9/9/2008

6

1

7

9/11/2008

13

1

14

9/17/2008

11

4

15

10/3/2008

14

4

18

10/7/2008

20

4

24

10/17/2008

16

1

17

11/6/2008

15

5

20

Grand Total

121

23

144

 

 

 

Table 2.  Species captured during songbird migration banding study. 

   SWAP priority species are listed in bold.

SPECIES

New Bands

Recaptures

Grand Total

Acadian Flycatcher

1

 

1

American Goldfinch

25

1

26

American Redstart

1

 

1

American Robin

18

1

19

Blue Jay

2

 

2

Brown Thrasher

2

 

2

Carolina Chickadee

4

2

6

Carolina Wren

3

2

5

Chipping Sparrow

2

 

2

Common Yellowthroat

1

 

1

Downy Woodpecker

1

 

1

Field Sparrow

1

 

1

Gray Catbird

10

2

12

House Wren

1

 

1

Indigo Bunting

5

1

6

Least Flycatcher

1

 

1

Magnolia Warbler

2

 

2

Morning Warbler

1

 

1

Northern Cardinal

8

7

15

Northern Mockingbird

2

 

2

Prairie Warbler

2

 

2

Song Sparrow

13

2

15

Swamp Sparrow

2

 

2

Tufted Titmouse

2

3

5

White-throated Sparrow

7

2

9

Yellow-rumped Warbler

1

 

4

Grand Total

121

23

144

 

 




Table 3.  Species captured during songbird migration banding study.
SWAP priority species are listed in bold.

SPECIES

9/4/2008

9/9/2008

9/11/2008

9/17/2008

10/3/2008

10/7/2008

10/17/2008

11/6/2008

Grand Total

Acadian Flycatcher

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

American Goldfinch

4

 

4

2

 

2

3

11

26

American Redstart

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

1

American Robin

2

 

 

4

10

2

1

 

19

Blue Jay

 

 

 

 

1

 

1

 

2

Brown Thrasher

1

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

2

Carolina Chickadee

2

 

 

 

 

2

 

2

6

Carolina Wren

1

 

1

 

 

1

1

1

5

Chipping Sparrow

 

 

 

1

 

1

 

 

2

Common Yellowthroat

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Downy Woodpecker

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Field Sparrow

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

1

Gray Catbird

5

2

4

1

 

 

 

 

12

House Wren

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Indigo Bunting

3

 

1

2

 

 

 

 

6

Least Flycatcher

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Magnolia Warbler

 

 

 

1

 

1

 

 

2

Morning Warbler

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

1

Northern Cardinal

3

1

1

1

1

6

1

1

15

Northern Mockingbird

 

 

 

1

 

 

1

 

2

Prairie Warbler

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

Song Sparrow

1

 

1

1

5

4

3

 

15

Swamp Sparrow

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

2

Tufted Titmouse

4

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

5

White-throated Sparrow

 

 

 

 

 

 

4

5

9

Yellow-rumped Warbler

 

 

 

 

 

4

 

 

4

Grand Total

29

7

14

15

18

24

17

20

144

 

 

Kate Heyden

Avian Biologist

Nongame Branch

KY Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources

#1 Sportsman's Lane

Frankfort, KY  40601

Phone:  (502) 564-7109 ext. 4475

Fax:  (502) 564 4519

kathryn.heyden@xxxxxx <mailto:kathryn.heyden@xxxxxx>  

www.fw.ky.gov <http://www.fw.ky.gov/> 

 

Did you know... Department of Fish and Wildlife receives NO state tax
dollars and manages wildlife for all citizens? 

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