One of our first birds at CLDC last Saturday was an Eastern Towhee recapture.
One of the most interesting things about this recapture was the condition of the band it was wearing. It was so worn and thin that Tom decided to give it a new band. For comparison, here is the old band sitting next to a brand new band of the same size:
This banding project is part of MAPS – “Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship.” This recapture was particularly exciting in that light. Tom put the original band on the bird on July 27, 2004. (I’m not sure how old it was when it was banded.) According to the Cornell website (who quoted the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Website), the oldest known Eastern Towhee was 12 years 3 months.
Filed under: bird banding, bird conservation, bird research, birds, nature
We banded it as an AHY in 2004!
I have been reading this blog about your bird banding experiences and learning….
How very interesting..I have always wanted to do this..but wow it looks so difficult..so much to learn. I think I will just live vicariously thru you and read all your experiences!
Thanks..I also enjoy your other blog!