Bird Banding Held at Hagerman NWR

Nature enthusiasts caught a break in the rainy weather long enough to gather at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge Saturday morning for a bird close-up. Dr. Doug Wood, Associate Professor of Zoology at Southeastern Oklahoma State University explained the science of banding birds as he and his students demonstrated the technique. Mist nets to trap birds without harming them were set up in several locations near the Refuge Visitor Center and monitored regularly. Birds caught in the net were carefully transported to the banding area for weighing, measuring, notation of age, gender and health status before being banded and released. Dr. Wood pointed out that the amount of fat on a migratory bird indicated its readiness to travel long distances. Those attending got to hear the heart beat of a yellow warbler, approximately 600 beats per minute. Birds such as a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Painted Bunting, Indigo Bunting, and an American Redstart were also among those banded at the event. The free nature program was part of the Second Saturday series sponsored by the Refuge and the Friends of Hagerman monthly. These programs are open to the public and a schedule of coming events can be found at www.friendsofhagerman.com. Photos by Randall Lantz.