How to identify "MY" birds?
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John Carter
- Posts: 132
- Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2004 1:15 am
- Location: Burlington/Iowa
Haven't seen anything for the past several weeks, before that one or two feeding in the area. Today there was a bunch, counted at least twenty on the houses, gourds and on the new perching pole. Fledged 14 from 4 successful nests this year compared to 4 from one nest last year. I wondered if any of them were "MY" birds of 2005. Thought about getting them banded this year but the closest bander is 100 miles from here according to the DNR. Does anyone have any suggestion about identifying the birds fledged from your site. I used to raise pidgeon and banded them with colored plastic bands. It is quite a process to become a licensed bander.
john in SE IA
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Laverne
- Posts: 2216
- Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 1:58 pm
- Location: TX/Alvin
- Martin Colony History: Erected 1st house in 1997. Birds were checking it out before Mike got down from the ladder. Six cavities had a little colony 1st year. Grown to 88 cavities all gourds with near 100% occupancy. Most important factor for success is rain = bugs.
Congratulations on your colony's successful season, John. 
As for identifying "your" birds, I have no suggestions to offer. Only the sites lucky enough to attract a bander can positively identify "their" birds. From what I understand, banding a PM colony is not high priority in most cases. And the process should be part of an ongoing study to be considered. However, there are colonies banded every season. If you pursue a bander perhaps you will be successful.
Most landlords just do their best to send off the largest number of healthy fledglings possible and then quietly wonder if the Purple Martins they see around are "their" birds. I didn't notice where you are from. I would think the areas with smaller populations of Purple Martins would be very interested in banding and studying those populations.
Good luck to you and best wishes for many successful seasons.
As for identifying "your" birds, I have no suggestions to offer. Only the sites lucky enough to attract a bander can positively identify "their" birds. From what I understand, banding a PM colony is not high priority in most cases. And the process should be part of an ongoing study to be considered. However, there are colonies banded every season. If you pursue a bander perhaps you will be successful.
Most landlords just do their best to send off the largest number of healthy fledglings possible and then quietly wonder if the Purple Martins they see around are "their" birds. I didn't notice where you are from. I would think the areas with smaller populations of Purple Martins would be very interested in banding and studying those populations.
Good luck to you and best wishes for many successful seasons.
Sincerely,
Laverne
Laverne
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Guest
I did not announce this on my site or anywhere else for that matter. I thought that I should wait to see if I got anywhere with it. Since this post has developed maybe we should try to see if any of us can get a program going in any state. The more folks trying the better luck we may have.
I invited a VERY helpful Michigan DNR employee to join our discussion board on my Website. Karen is the ?All Bird Coordinator? for the State of Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Karen suggested that I contact local universities with wildlife/ornithology programs. It is possible that we may find a grad student or two who has a banding license or is in the apprentice program and could use this opportunity to do a summer banding project that would benefit everyone, including our birds. I?m not holding my breath, but I got an immediate reply from my first contact and he sounded interested. The idea is now floating around several universities.
It isn?t a lot of work to find contacts and ask about the possibility of getting something like this going in your state. It may or may not pan out, but banders willing to band Purple Martins are nearly impossible to come by. The birds should be banded between two and three weeks of age from what I understand, so this could mean multiple trips to band an entire colony. Grants are available for this kind of thing at times to cover transportation costs, etc. It?s worth a try in my opinion, but I try a lot of things that never work, too!
Mark Dietrich
www.michiganmartins.com
I invited a VERY helpful Michigan DNR employee to join our discussion board on my Website. Karen is the ?All Bird Coordinator? for the State of Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Karen suggested that I contact local universities with wildlife/ornithology programs. It is possible that we may find a grad student or two who has a banding license or is in the apprentice program and could use this opportunity to do a summer banding project that would benefit everyone, including our birds. I?m not holding my breath, but I got an immediate reply from my first contact and he sounded interested. The idea is now floating around several universities.
It isn?t a lot of work to find contacts and ask about the possibility of getting something like this going in your state. It may or may not pan out, but banders willing to band Purple Martins are nearly impossible to come by. The birds should be banded between two and three weeks of age from what I understand, so this could mean multiple trips to band an entire colony. Grants are available for this kind of thing at times to cover transportation costs, etc. It?s worth a try in my opinion, but I try a lot of things that never work, too!
Mark Dietrich
www.michiganmartins.com
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John Carter
- Posts: 132
- Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2004 1:15 am
- Location: Burlington/Iowa
Mark
Sounds like a good idea and one to tackle over the winter. I will try to make some contacts and let you know what the outcome is.
Sounds like a good idea and one to tackle over the winter. I will try to make some contacts and let you know what the outcome is.
john in SE IA
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John Carter
- Posts: 132
- Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2004 1:15 am
- Location: Burlington/Iowa
RC Moser
It's been over 60 years ago that I raised pidgeons and at that time I got the bands at the local feed store. I believe you could find them through a pidgeon club. I have searched the web awhile ago and found bands for canaries and such.
john
It's been over 60 years ago that I raised pidgeons and at that time I got the bands at the local feed store. I believe you could find them through a pidgeon club. I have searched the web awhile ago and found bands for canaries and such.
john
john in SE IA