Coyote Creek Field Station Landbird Banding Research
For 40 years, our scientists and citizen scientists have conducted bird banding research on passerines at the Coyote Creek Field Station (CCFS) in Milpitas, CA. Bird banding provides valuable information that helps us study bird dispersal, migration, behavior, social structure, life span, survival rate, reproductive success, and population growth. It also allows us to understand seasonal and long term population patterns of migratory, wintering and year-round resident birds; and track individual birds, which is important in factoring survival, migratory turnover rates, and longevity. Additionally, it allows us to examine bird response to the riparian restoration at CCFS.
For example, by knowing the age of individual birds, we have discovered the immature and adult Song Sparrow use the restored habitats differently. Furthermore, we have discovered strong species preference to habitat characteristics associated with the restored habitats. As more and more of our Bay Area creeks are restored, these data are important for land managers and those designing future riparian restorations to create habitats that can support healthy, vibrant bird populations.
In 2021 were were awarded $40k grant from the Open Space Authority's Urban Grants Program to plan a major renovation and upgrade to replace our 30-year-old banding trailer. Planning for the project will involve extensive consultation with local educators and outreach leaders to make sure the new station design will facilitate our education and outreach efforts, allowing us to introduce more people to the wonders of scientific research and up-close avian encounters.
For example, by knowing the age of individual birds, we have discovered the immature and adult Song Sparrow use the restored habitats differently. Furthermore, we have discovered strong species preference to habitat characteristics associated with the restored habitats. As more and more of our Bay Area creeks are restored, these data are important for land managers and those designing future riparian restorations to create habitats that can support healthy, vibrant bird populations.
In 2021 were were awarded $40k grant from the Open Space Authority's Urban Grants Program to plan a major renovation and upgrade to replace our 30-year-old banding trailer. Planning for the project will involve extensive consultation with local educators and outreach leaders to make sure the new station design will facilitate our education and outreach efforts, allowing us to introduce more people to the wonders of scientific research and up-close avian encounters.
|
Where Does Our Data Go?
We, along with most other banding facilities in North America, send our banding data to the Bird Banding Laboratory (of USGS), which stores all of this information. This collective information tells us how far a bird may travel during migration and which path it chooses to take. We have banded birds recaptured as far away as Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, and Newport Beach, California, and have also recaptured birds from as far as Alaska and Oregon (see figure at right). If you happen to come across a dead bird with a band on it, please call the Bird Banding Lab at 1-800-327-2263 with the band number and information about when and where the bird or band was found. This could provide important information to both those who originally banded the bird and the bird community. Click here to see a slide show of how we band birds and join a virtual tour share by Jay Goble with former Landbird Program Director Josh Scullen to see our station and learn what we do. |
The above map shows birds banded elsewhere and recaptured at the Coyote Creek Field Station (CCFS) or birds banded at CCFS and found elsewhere.
|
Partnering with Universities and Other Scientists
We also open our field station to college students and other scientists who use bird banding and bird banding data in their research.
In 2020, SFBBO and our partners at Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve, Santa Clara University, San Jose State University and West Valley Community College received an incubator grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to plan the San Francisco Bay Research Coordination Network for Student Opportunities in Avian Research (SOAR) to Enhance STEM Education. The collaboration of SOAR among Bay Area institutions will connect students in field research and community-building. SOAR will be designed especially to appeal to those from underserved communities and engaging all participants in the field and lab-based STEM activities through the lens of ornithology.
The program intends to set up and support long-term bird-banding stations at Jasper Ridge, Stanford lands, and the Coyote Creek Field Station. Participants will learn how to collect and analyze data to better understand the San Francisco Bay Area's bird populations' dynamics. The project also provide opportunities for hands-on field research and follow-up lab activities for students who do not presently have access to such experiential learning in outdoor settings.
For more information about our Coyote Creek Field Stations research, please contact Lead Biologist Dan Wenny at dwenny@sfbbo.org and Senior Biologist Katie LaBarbera at klabarbera@sfbbo.org. To support this and other SFBBO programs, please click on the link below.
We also open our field station to college students and other scientists who use bird banding and bird banding data in their research.
In 2020, SFBBO and our partners at Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve, Santa Clara University, San Jose State University and West Valley Community College received an incubator grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to plan the San Francisco Bay Research Coordination Network for Student Opportunities in Avian Research (SOAR) to Enhance STEM Education. The collaboration of SOAR among Bay Area institutions will connect students in field research and community-building. SOAR will be designed especially to appeal to those from underserved communities and engaging all participants in the field and lab-based STEM activities through the lens of ornithology.
The program intends to set up and support long-term bird-banding stations at Jasper Ridge, Stanford lands, and the Coyote Creek Field Station. Participants will learn how to collect and analyze data to better understand the San Francisco Bay Area's bird populations' dynamics. The project also provide opportunities for hands-on field research and follow-up lab activities for students who do not presently have access to such experiential learning in outdoor settings.
For more information about our Coyote Creek Field Stations research, please contact Lead Biologist Dan Wenny at dwenny@sfbbo.org and Senior Biologist Katie LaBarbera at klabarbera@sfbbo.org. To support this and other SFBBO programs, please click on the link below.