Birds Wintering in Urban Landscapes

Sound Science→Scientific Information→ Informed Public

WHAT IS COLOR BANDING?WHAT IS COLOR WHAT IS COLOR BANDINGBANDING??

Wintering Birds in UrbanLandscapes: A PSBO project


SPECIAL PERMIT TO COLOR BANDSPECIAL PERMIT TO COLOR BANDSPECIAL PERMIT TO COLOR BAND

PSBO has been granted a permit to color band:

• Black‐capped Chickadees

• Chestnut‐backed Chickadees

• Dark‐eyed Juncos

• Fox Sparrows


WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?

WHAT DOES IT WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?LOOK LIKE?

Photo taken with

motion‐activated camera installed near feeder


WHY ARE WE DOING IT?WHY ARE WE DOING IT?WHY ARE WE DOING IT?

• Wintering Birds in Urban Landscapes focuses on how urban Puget Sound supports the songbirds that spend the winter here.

• Which species use area during winter?• How do wintering birds use the urban landscape?• What role do backyards, parks, & invasive plants play?

• What breeding populations are represented?


HOW DOES IT WORK?HOW DOES IT WORK?HOW DOES IT WORK?• Every bird has unique number and color combination.

• Example:– Black‐capped Chickadee

– Banded 3 Feb 2008 as Adult

– Band #2510‐93227

– Color combo: W/O‐K/S

• Appears healthy

• RESIGHTED 38 TIMES (at one site)


WHY COLOR BANDING?WHY COLOR BANDING?WHY COLOR BANDING?

• Collect data on habits of individual birds

• No need to recapture

– Easy on the birds

– Collect data in any weather conditions

• Gets people interested in their birds

• Fun to watch: instant gratification

• Easy to become a volunteer spotter for PSBO


COLLECT DATA ON HABITS OF INDIVIDUAL BIRDS

COLLECT DATA ON HABITS OF COLLECT DATA ON HABITS OF INDIVIDUAL BIRDSINDIVIDUAL BIRDS

• 25 Oct 08 O/W‐K/S was observed not using left foot

• 2 Nov it was recaptured ‐had swollen leg, not using left foot

• 26 Nov picture taken showing using foot again


CHESTNUT BACKED CHICKADEE COLOR BANDED 1/20/08 SILVER (lefT) - BLACK(right)FIRST BANDED in yard 9/29/06

020

4060

8010

012

0

1/20

/200

8

2/3/

2008

2/17

/200

8

3/2/

2008

3/16

/200

8

3/30

/200

8

4/13

/200

8

4/27

/200

8

5/11

/200

8

5/25

/200

8

6/8/

2008

6/22

/200

8

7/6/

2008

7/20

/200

8

8/3/

2008

8/17

/200

8

8/31

/200

8

9/14

/200

8

9/28

/200

8

10/1

2/20

08

10/2

6/20

08

11/9

/200

8

11/2

3/20

08

12/7

/200

8

16376 28 Pl NE

# of sightings

Positively ID’d 113 times at 16376 28 Pl NE

Shoreline, WA

and another three times at 16358 28 Pl NE, Shoreline (not shown on this graph)

MATE OF

ORANGE / LIGHT BLUE (LEFT)-

BLACK/ SILVER (RIGHT)

not

seen

after

ice/sn

not seen after ice/snow

storm of 12/18/08

S -K


6/02/09 6/02/09 ChestnutChestnut--backed backed

chickadee chickadee O/LBO/LB--K/SK/S

(male, #251093213)(male, #251093213)was observed feeding was observed feeding

four fledglings.four fledglings.ID of new mate not ID of new mate not

determined yet. determined yet. (Previous mate was S(Previous mate was S--K)K)

6/23/10 was observed 6/23/10 was observed bringing 5 fledglings bringing 5 fledglings

to feederto feeder


INTERPRETING RESULTSINTERPRETING RESULTS• Black‐capped Chickadee:

– K/R‐LB/S only seen on

16 Mar, 31 May, 8 June, 22 Oct

• Is this a rover?

• How large is its range?

• Are winter ranges and rover ranges the same size?

• Do rovers fly longer distances?

• Do they have a different home range?


6/11/20096/11/2009all adult chickadees in yardall adult chickadees in yard

at 6:06 pm were color bandedat 6:06 pm were color banded

This chestnut-backed chickadee was feeding 3-4 begging fledglings at that time.


BlackBlack--capped chickadees startedcapped chickadees startedbuilding nest late Maybuilding nest late May’’09 in the 09 in the nest box in a small blue spruce.nest box in a small blue spruce.

• Parents: O/K‐LB/S W/LB‐O/S

• 3‐4 young fledged, 1 egg failed both parents feeding


This banded blackThis banded black--capped chickadee (R/Wcapped chickadee (R/W--LB/S) LB/S) and an unbanded chickadee (probable new flock and an unbanded chickadee (probable new flock member) were feeding 5 newly fledged offspring member) were feeding 5 newly fledged offspring

6/21/20096/21/2009


ORJU O/W-S/STO 160153238

FIRST BANDED 9/25/2006, RECAP 11/02/08, COLOR BANDED 3/01/2009

If breeders arrive in my yard in February, does this male use the yard for wintering and

breed further north?0

51

01

52

0

2/13/2

010

2/20/2

010

2/27/2

010

3/6/2

010

DATES SEEN

# of sightings


Oregon junco studyOregon junco study

• Male junco, O/O‐S/STR*was observed feeding two begging youngsters July 2009.

• Returned 2/15/2010 expected to breed here again.

*Orange over Orange (left)-Silver over Striped [mauve over orange] (right)

(to distinguish from older UW junco study)


2/ 8/ 2010 2/ 22/ 2010 3/ 8/ 2010 3/ 22/ 2010 4/ 5/ 2010 4/ 19/ 2010 5/ 3/ 2010

D A T ES S EEN ( c a m e r a s n o t f u n c t i o n i n g 1 1 / 1 5 / 0 9 - 2 / 0 7 / 1 0 )

# of s i ght i ngs

ORJU O/OORJU O/O--S/STO 160153212S/STO 160153212

FIRST BANDED 9/25/06, RECAP 10/05/08 FIRST BANDED 9/25/06, RECAP 10/05/08 --COLORBANDED 4/05/2009COLORBANDED 4/05/2009consistent breederconsistent breeder--probable 4 yearsprobable 4 years---- verified for last two seasonsverified for last two seasons


ORJU S/STOORJU S/STO--LB/WLB/WFirst banded 2/14/10, recaptured 4/4/10First banded 2/14/10, recaptured 4/4/10

Was she on a nest Was she on a nest duringduring March? March? Or did cold wet weather drove her to more protected area?Or did cold wet weather drove her to more protected area?

05

1015

2025

3035

2/14/2

010

2/21/2

010

2/28/2

010

3/7/201

0

3/14/2

010

3/21/2

010

3/28/2

010

4/4/201

0

4/11/2

010

Dates seen

# of s ightings


WHO’S DOING THE BANDING?WHOWHO’’S DOING THE BANDING?S DOING THE BANDING?Permitted banders and trained volunteers from

Puget Sound Bird Observatory


HOW IS IT BEING DONE?HOW IS IT BEING DONE?HOW IS IT BEING DONE?• 10 ft high mist nets

• Four banding stations two each about a mile apart, plus one at Seward Park

• Twice a month at each station• 3‐4 hours each time

• Birds banded with colored and numbered metal bands


Birds caught safely in mist netsBirds caught safely in mist netsBirds caught safely in mist nets

And removed by PSBO banders andtrained volunteers


Where does Where does banding take banding take

place?place?

5 Sites:

• 3 Backyards in Richmond Beach, Shoreline & Lake Forest Park

• Shoreline Comm Coll

• Seward Park


N Seattle ColorN Seattle Color--banding Sitesbanding Sites

Note differences in greenspace and urban density at the different sites


HOW CAN YOU HELP?HOW CAN YOU HELP?HOW CAN YOU HELP?

Observations of banded birds sought from neighborhoods near banding sites to determine home ranges

For Example: Eastern flocks of Black-capped Chickadees have winter ranges of about a half mile.


WHAT DO SPOTTERS NEED?WHAT DO SPOTTERS NEED?WHAT DO SPOTTERS NEED?

• Binoculars

• Data form or notebook

• (Camera‐optional but helpful)– Handheld or tripod at feeder

– Motion‐activated camera setup


CAN I COME WATCH?CAN I COME WATCH?CAN I COME WATCH?• Visitors Welcome!

• Call ahead to register, and get directions.

• Shoreline banding site: 206‐363‐4910

• Lake Forest Park banding site: 206‐365‐8867• Children under direct supervision are welcome.


PSBO IS A NEW NON-PROFITPSBO IS A NEW NONPSBO IS A NEW NON--PROFITPROFIT

• PSBO's Mission Statement:

Puget Sound Bird Observatory studies birds and their habitats in the Pacific Northwest to better understand changes in bird populations, to inform decision makers, and to engage the public with birds and their needs.


PSBO IS A NEW NON-PROFITPSBO IS A NEW NONPSBO IS A NEW NON--PROFITPROFIT

HELP US OUT & JOIN US!• Volunteer at a banding site• Become a bander• Host banding at your home• Join one of our committees• Donate color bands, a net, binoculars

YOU CAN HELP!More volunteers = more banding sites

More sites = more data

YOU CAN HELP!More volunteers = more banding sites

More sites = more data


Points to remember when spottingPoints to remember when spotting

• 1. ID the species—Black‐capped vs Chestnut‐backed; Fox Sparrow, not Song Sparrow; Dark‐eyed Junco (in this area mostly Oregon Juncos‐don’t worry about the sub‐species)

• 2. Which way are it’s feet facing? A bird can be looking back at you, but the legs are facing away from you, so ID it’s left leg first.


ChestnutChestnut--backed backed

ChickadeeChickadee[CHCH][CHCH]

• Y/R‐O/SYellow over RedOrange over Silver


Which Which species?species?

• Which is left leg?


DONDON’’T T GUESSGUESS

• Better to have partial than wrong


Be aware of tricky colors


Song Sparrow Song Sparrow vsvs Fox SparrowFox Sparrow

Look at head, breast, back, and bill


Song Sparrow Song Sparrow vsvs Fox SparrowFox Sparrow

• Look for head stripes—first; Bi‐colored bill distinctive on FOSP; Uniformity of color—back of FOSP mostly same color; Size—usually FOSP larger


Which is which?Which is which?

Documents

Birds Wintering in Urban Landscapes