Bird banding reaches high as peak migration season rolls in

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — This week is peak migration season in central Illinois, with the highest concentration of birds moving through this region over the next 10 days. Conservationists in the area are knee-deep in bird banding, helping collect data to strengthen a national database.

Travis Wilcoxen is a professor of biology and director of the School of Biological and Environmental Studies at Millikin University. He is involved in the collaboration between the Illinois Raptor Center and Millikin, which began in 2022. With 21 years of experience banding, Wilcoxen leads the banding efforts at the Illinois Raptor Center Bird Banding Station. Across 25 acres of the Illinois Raptor Center Property, the banders utilize roughly a dozen nets to trap various species of birds.

Bird banding takes place during migration season. Their spring season started at the end of March, while their fall season will begin in mid-August and last until Nov. 1.

"Even with only being out here for 50 to 60 days a year to do this, we get a really good snapshot of the bird populations from all different types of migratory strategies just here in this one spot," he said.

Bird banding is a form of data collection, allowing conservationists to monitor population changes and the spread of disease.

Through bird banding, conservationists can deduce a decline in the bird population, most likely due to the loss of habitat.

"Most species of birds, especially the songbirds that we worked with here today, are in decline. When you're just out there and you're trying to detect some of these birds that are somewhat secretive, it can be hard to just know whether or not they're present or absent," Wilcoxen said.

Banding provides an easier solution. Each band has a unique nine-digit number, with no duplicates. This is regulated by the federal bird banding lab, and data collected goes into a central database. If a banded bird is caught in another state or even another country, the original trapper can find it. If the bird becomes sick or dies, it will still be in the database.

Wilcoxen said the benefits of bird banding go beyond research.

"It has this great opportunity to both collect meaningful research that matters for bird conservation, but also still be an amazing public engagement tool, to get them interested in conservation as well," he said.

Wilcoxen encourages everyone to attend a banding session or even get involved in banding with local organizations.

"Once they end up in a net and end up in our hands, it may be something that you all have never seen before," he said.

For a schedule for when the Illinois Raptor Center Bird Banding Station will be hosting banding sessions, check their Facebook page.

If you want to help fund animal rehabilitation efforts at the Illinois Raptor Center, you can donate online.