Data Collection

We use a variety of data collection techniques.

We capture birds in nets:

Bird in net

We band them using aluminum U.S. Geological Service (USGS) bands:
Bands


We collect physiological and morphological data:

Bleeding Bird
It is easy to assess fat load in a living bird. Most bird's skin is translucent, so when you blow on the feathers of their abdomen, you see something like the picture on the right below. Note that you are looking through the skin at breast muscle (red) and fat stores (tan). This bird was released unharmed. We then release them, hoping to recapture and collect additional data on them at a later date.

 

We have recently begun a project focused on Northern Saw-whet Owls in Lackawanna State Park.

Northern Saw-whet Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl

 

While we are targetting Northern Saw-whet Owls we on occasion capture other species.

Barred Owl

 

 

Screech Owl

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


We also collect data on vegetation and arthropods (bird food):

Vegetation Sampling

 Bird food

 

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