Hummingbird Banding

HummerBird Banding with Bob Sargent

Each year during Rockport-Fulton's HummerBird Celebration two licensed hummingbird banding teams busily band the hummingbirds caught in their nets.  Each hummer is fitted with a tiny band containing a letter and five numerals to identify it.  The hummers then continue on their southbound journey to their wintering grounds in Mexico and Central America.

All bird banding information is carefully recorded by the bander and the data is sent to the North American Bird Banding Laboratory where banding records are maintained.

Whenever a banded bird is recaptured by another bander, the information is sent to the banding lab.  The banding lab notifies the original bander of the place and date their bird was recaptured.  The bander who recaptured the bird is notified where and when the bird was originally banded.

Close Up of Leucistic Hummingbird

Notice that the Leucistic Hummingbird is not completely white; the tail feathers have normal coloration on the tips. 

Leucistic Hummingbird being banded

This Leucistic Hummingbird is being banded. Also in the picture is a blue box containing the bands that are put on the birds.


This Buff Bellied Hummingbird is drinking nectar during the banding process. The white spot on the head is a drop of paint applied by the banders so they can easily spot the birds in other locations during migration. Banders at one location used one color, banders at other locations used other colors.

Buff Bellied Hummingbird drinking nectar
 

Hummers at Feeders

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Hummers at Feeders Video

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