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Purpose:
Bird
banding provides a unique opportunity to gather information regarding the timing and
routing of migration, survival rates, social structures, population
trends, and more. Even for
the most common species, such research continues to reveal surprises,
while for species of concern it provides critical data for the planning of
conservation and management efforts.
The
success of the North American bird banding program depends on the
participation of many independent observatories across the continent.
The likelihood of birds being recovered at sites other than where
they were banded increases in proportion to the number of banding stations
in operation. As such, there
is particular merit in establishing new observatories in regions which
currently have little coverage. At
present there are very few active banding stations in Quebec, and since its establishment in 2004, McGill Bird Observatory (MBO) has been the only one in the province to undertake standardized migration monitoring through banding in both spring and fall.
Moreover,
MBO provides both undergraduate and graduate students with a rare
opportunity to receive ongoing training in banding over the course of
their studies. Through
working regularly at the banding station, students gain a competitive
advantage for the many field positions which require experience with banding
or other field ornithology skills.
MBO also invites public participation,
both to provide training to individuals interested in developing their
banding skills, and to deliver educational programs. Short-term
goals:
The principal short-term goal of McGill Bird Observatory is to
undertake standardized monitoring of migratory passerines and
Northern Saw-whet Owls (Aegolius
acadicus) through banding and supplemental observations.
Leadership on this has been taken primarily by graduate students from McGill University’s Department of Natural Resource
Sciences in partnership with the Migration Research Foundation.
Because
banding has occurred on the site only sporadically in the past, pilot
banding programs were conducted in fall 2004 and spring 2005 to evaluate
the site's potential and identify the best locations within the site to
concentrate future efforts. Based on the success of these efforts,
full-scale migration monitoring programs began in fall 2005. Long-term
goals:
Our intention is to continue monitoring spring and fall migration annually, adhering to our standard protocol, to
develop a long-term dataset that can be used to assess changes in bird
populations. However, we expect McGill Bird Observatory to become a permanent installation
with several goals beyond simply banding birds.
A main objective is to participate in such standardized national
population monitoring programs as the Canadian Migration Monitoring
Network and Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship, and to
encourage the establishment of additional bird banding stations in the
province of Quebec.
Another
very important goal of the McGill Bird Observatory is to serve as a
training centre for students and other interested people who wish to band
birds. We also welcome members of the public to observe our activities
and provide programs to educate people about birds and the techniques
used to study them.
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