The station is part of the Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship program, which captures birds for banding and data collection. Banding allows tracking of population trends, including survival, reproductive rates and movement patterns across the country.
This work has become important as a number of bird species are experiencing population declines, according to the Western Ecological Resource Center. The MAPS program provides crucial information to help biologists monitor and help species recover before it’s too late.
There are up to 1,200 MAPS bird banding stations nationwide. The MAPS program has operated since 1989 and collected more than 2.5 million records.
But, the banding station at Spring Meadow is unique, Begley said, because the program is open for the public to observe the work and then assist with the release of birds.
Holly Garrod from the University of Montana ecology lab releases an evening grosbeak
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Holly Garrod from the University of Montana ecology lab releases an evening grosbeak last week during a bird banding operation at Spring Meadow Lake State Park conducted by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.
Volunteers Jennifer Fritz, right and Shane Sater remove a chickadee from a capture net
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Volunteers Jennifer Fritz, right and Shane Sater remove a chickadee from a capture net set up near Spring Meadow Lake State Park last week during a bird banding project conducted by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.
Holly Garrod measure a waxwing’s wing during
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Holly Garrod measure a waxwing’s wing during a bird banding operation at Spring Meadow Lake State Park last week conducted by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.
Garrod weighs a captured waxwing
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Garrod weighs a captured waxwing during the bird banding operation at Spring Meadow Lake State Park last week conducted by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.
The bird banding station at Spring Meadow is unique
Updated
The bird banding station at Spring Meadow is unique because the program is open for the public to observe the work and then assist with the release of birds.
Captured bird waiting for their work up
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Captured bird waiting for their work up sit in bags during the bird banding operation at Spring Meadow Lake State Park last week conducted by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.
MAPS Bird Banding at Spring Meadow
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A scene from the bird banding operation at Spring Meadow Lake State Park last week conducted by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
MAPS Bird Banding at Spring Meadow
Updated
A scene from the bird banding operation at Spring Meadow Lake State Park last week conducted by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
MAPS Bird Banding at Spring Meadow
Updated
A scene from the bird banding operation at Spring Meadow Lake State Park last week conducted by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
MAPS Bird Banding at Spring Meadow
Updated
A scene from the bird banding operation at Spring Meadow Lake State Park last week conducted by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
MAPS Bird Banding at Spring Meadow
Updated
A scene from the bird banding operation at Spring Meadow Lake State Park last week conducted by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
MAPS Bird Banding at Spring Meadow
Updated
A scene from the bird banding operation at Spring Meadow Lake State Park last week conducted by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
MAPS Bird Banding at Spring Meadow
Updated
A scene from the bird banding operation at Spring Meadow Lake State Park last week conducted by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
The bird banding station at Spring Meadow is unique
Updated
The bird banding station at Spring Meadow is unique because the program is open for the public to observe the work and then assist with the release of birds.
MAPS Bird Banding at Spring Meadow
Updated
A scene from the bird banding operation at Spring Meadow Lake State Park last week conducted by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
Originally published on helenair.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange.