Forest Preserves of Cook County 2022 Spring Brochure

The Forest Preserves of Cook County bands birds—from sparrows to sandhill cranes—as part of ongoing research that helps track ecosystem health, migration patterns and zoonotic diseases (illnesses passed between animals and humans). Forest Preserves biologists safely capture, handle and band an average of 400 birds per year. What is Bird Banding? Bird banding involves humanely capturing a bird for a brief time and attaching a lightweight U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) band, usually on the bird’s leg. When banding, Forest Preserves biologists also perform health workups, which Image: Sandhill Cranes by Heather Morvay, Crabtree Nature Center-cropped, 2019 Tracking Birds in the Preserves & Beyond may include taking measurements, determining a bird’s sex, drawing a blood sample and looking for any indication of disease. Why Band Birds? Attaching a USGS band allows anyone who finds the band (with or without the bird) to report where they found it, giving researchers insight into the bird’s travels. 14