***Do not try this on your own. These activities can only be done with a federal permit.***
I went owl
banding with Wildlife Club and it was an amazing experience.
Before
embarking on this adventure, I wasn’t quite sure what owl banding was. I
guessed that it meant putting bands on owls to keep track of them and study
them.
“I had no
idea what I was getting myself into but, I wanted to go anyways.” should be
is my motto. Haha!
What is
owl banding?
1.
Setting up long nets.
-
The netting is very
fine because you want them to be invisible to the owls. Zippers can easily snag
on them.
-
The netting shapes
into pockets that catch owls.
2.
Playing a male's call
over a loud speaker.
-
Yes, it is their
mating call.
3.
Set up camp. There is
a 45-minute wait in between check-ins. You don’t want your lights to scare away
the owls.
-
There are good
conversations to be had during this time.
-
Why do scientists study animals? Are
those animals going extinct? Animals don’t have to be going extinct to observe
them. It is when we don’t keep track of them that we miss the signs something
is wrong.
4.
The exciting moment
when you see an owl waiting to be met!!!
5.
Extraction.
-
You want to begin by untangling
the talons. Then, move on to each wing individually.
-
The process is like “untangling
Christmas lights.”
-
The owl is placed into
a bag and carried back to the campout spot.
6.
Measurements are taken.
-
First, you weigh the
bag with the owl. Then, you weigh the bag alone and subtract the weight of the
bag from the total weight.
- Size of wing and age of the owl is also recorded. You can tell the age of an owl by the color of the feathers of its wings. A dark chocolate brown color means new feathers have grown which indicates it is past the one year mark. A faded brown color means it is a newly hatched owl, within the year.
7.
Banding.
-
A metal ring is placed
around one of the talons.
-
No, this does not harm
the owl because there is a hole in the ring and it is specifically made to
their size.
8.
Making friends with
the owl. :)
-
How to hold an owl
101: You want to hold your thumb and pointer finger in an L-shape pointing
forward. When the master bander places the talons of the owl in the pivot of your
fingers, close your fingers as if you are holding a snow cone.
-
Face the owl, smile at
the owl, pet the owl’s feathers, take pictures with the owls but do not let go
until the next person is ready to meet the owl.
9.
Release.
-
Change your headlight
lamp to red so you don’t blind the owl. Let the owl’s eyes adjust. Place the
owl on an arm and let it perch there. 3…2…1…lift off! “It’s not like in the Hollywood
movies. You don’t throw a bird when releasing it.” Let it fly off your arm.
About the
Northern Saw-whet Owls
·
They are smaller than
you probably imagine an owl to be.
·
If they are under a certain
mass that indicates it’s a male.
·
They eat mice.
·
Their talons are what
they use to attack, not their bills.
·
Their feathers are super
soft “like chenille”!!!
·
The feather on their
wings are cut in a way to keep their flight silent which is important for their
hunting. This is also why their feathers are so soft.
·
They have different
personalities. Ex- Dopey, feisty
·
Their defense
mechanism is a clicking noise made by their bills.
Thank you, Dr. Van Roo and Wildlife Club.
Feeling happy,
Ouda
