Knoxville Zoo – Zoofari 2011
Auction Ends: Jun 2, 2011 08:00 PM EDT

Unique Experiences

If You Love Hummingbirds, This Package is For You

Item Number
137
Estimated Value
1500 USD
Sold
250 USD to AprilCox
Number of Bids
7  -  Bid History

Item Description

Ornithologist Mark Armstrong is the Curator of Birds at the Knoxville Zoo and a Licensed Master Bander.  With less than 100 authorized hummingbird banders in the U.S., it will be a rare treat for you and your group to join Mark as he bands hummingbirds. Mark will discuss the plumage differences in males and females and will demonstrate how to recognize a young bird, a migrating bird, and a bird that is carrying an egg and about to lay.  While banding, he will explain the process, what is measured and why. Guests will have the chance to hear a bird’s heartbeat and will assist in the bird releases.  Package is for six (6) or fewer people. A light meal will be provided. Every effort will be made to accommodate the requested date for the banding subject to the availability of Mr. Armstrong. Ideal times are early morning or evening in August and September. Banding may also occur in July however, hummingbirds will be less prevalent.

Item Special Note

Bird banding is one of the most important tools in ornithological research. Banders collect important data about the bird's age, sex, condition, plumage characteristics and measurements. Banders file data with the federal Bird Banding Library (BBL), including precise information about date and location of capture. When the bird is encountered at a later date, BBL contacts the bander to relay when and where the banded bird was encountered and by whom. The finder, receives information about where and when the bird was banded. Through this process of banding, recapture, and recovery, we learn much about bird natural history, especially migration details and the relative abundance of a given bird species from year to year.