Carnegie Museum of Natural History
One of the Four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh
This Flycatcher has a pale yellow mouth lining.
Powdermill Nature Reserve’s avian research center is part of Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s biological research station in Rector, Pennsylvania. The research center operates a bird banding station, conducts bioacoustical research, and performs flight tunnel analysis with the goal of reducing window collisions.
A rarity to Powdermill, this sparrow usually breeds in shrublands, field edges, and thickets across the northern prairies.
Powdermill Nature Reserve’s avian research center is part of Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s biological research station in Rector, Pennsylvania. The research center operates a bird banding station, conducts bioacoustical research, and performs flight tunnel analysis with the goal of reducing window collisions.
We’re thrilled to share that Avian Research Coordinator Luke DeGroote’s bird banding workshop has been featured in AFO Afield!
Luke was one of five instructors teaching 15 participants advanced bird banding skills and ethics, and molt interpretation in Iguazú National Park in Argentina last year.
But what is bird banding and why does it matter?
It’s the practice of catching and releasing birds after marking them with a small band around the leg to identify them. The bands let researchers study all kinds of things about birds including migration patterns, social structure and behavior of different species, population changes, and diseases.
The group was thrilled to catch and band a band-tailed manakin—a small bird that looks a bit like it was tie-dyed because of the way the bright red, orange, and yellow feathers cover its head and chest.
Read more about Luke DeGroote’s participation in this collaboration between the North American Banding Council (NABC) and AFO in AFO Afield.
This species is relatively uncommon at Powdermill. The lack of a molt limit in the alula feathers (A1,A2,A3) indicates this is an adult bird. Its closest relative, the Golden-winged Warbler, is much less common. The rapidly declining Golden-winged Warbler is currently being petitioned to be granted Federal protection under the Endangered Species Act.
Powdermill Nature Reserve’s avian research center is part of Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s biological research station in Rector, Pennsylvania. The research center operates a bird banding station, conducts bioacoustical research, and performs flight tunnel analysis with the goal of reducing window collisions.
The age of this bird is usually identifiable with a quick examination of the throat feathers. If the black throat has extensive yellow tipping it is a hatching-year and if it lacks this tipping (or has very little) it is an after-hatching-year.
Powdermill Nature Reserve’s avian research center is part of Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s biological research station in Rector, Pennsylvania. The research center operates a bird banding station, conducts bioacoustical research, and performs flight tunnel analysis with the goal of reducing window collisions.
Although the young and adult birds have essentially the same general plumage, there are some slight differences. The rusty tipping on this bird’s tertials identify it as a hatching-year bird (adults lack the rusty tipping). By spring this tipping frequently is worn off, and age is best determined by using the presence or absence of a molt limit. As in many birds, the shape of the tail also can be useful in ageing warblers.
Powdermill Nature Reserve’s avian research center is part of Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s biological research station in Rector, Pennsylvania. The research center operates a bird banding station, conducts bioacoustical research, and performs flight tunnel analysis with the goal of reducing window collisions.
