A fond, feathery farewell: Students help track wetland birds heading south for the winter

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On a recent field trip to Patuxent River Park in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, undergraduate students from George Mason University's Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation got to view secretive marsh birds up close, including Virginia and sora rail birds.

The Wildlife Ecology and Conservation students learned about a long-term bird banding and radio-tracking study on sora rails and other varieties of birds. Patuxent River Park is part of the Jug Bay Natural Area and Wetlands Sanctuary.

Student Noah Beck holds a sora rail bird, the type of bird tracked for the research study at Patuxent River Park. Photo by Lauren Hughes

The students learned about the annual migratory journey of these beautiful and elusive birds and the efforts to protect them. Soras live in marshes and wetlands throughout North America, and they migrate more than 500 miles to Central and South America for the winter.

Monitoring the movement of species, particularly during migrations, is an essential part of wildlife conservation. During a thorough demonstration from Greg Kearns, senior park naturalist at Patuxent River Park, the students had a chance to watch the important skill of bird banding up close.

Greg Kearns, senior park naturalist at Patuxent River Park, holds and examines a Virginia rail bird. Photo by Lauren Hughes

In bird banding, expert scientists humanely trap the birds, record information about their characteristics, and place a unique aluminum band on each bird's leg before releasing it. If the birds are recaptured in the future, scientists can gather important information about their migratory habits and lifespan. The sora rails are tagged with a tiny radio transmitter, and their movements are recorded by the Motus wildlife tracking system, giving detailed insight into their long journey south.

Photo by Lauren Hughes

Students receive hands-on training in innovative technologies to monitor species and habitats in the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia. The institute recently set up a new bird banding station, giving students the opportunity to observe bird banding in action. The station is administered by scientists from the Smithsonian's Migratory Bird Center, part of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute.

Learn more about bird banding from the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

Student Elle Farina holds a Virginia rail. Photo by Lauren Hughes

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