You are invited to join us for our monthly bird banding program
at the GCBO HQ in Lake Jackson. Licensed bird banders and GCBO
Research Associates Robert and Kay Lookingbill will be banding
at the sanctuary on a regular basis. Birds are captured for
banding in very fine nylon nets known as "mist nets" because
they are almost invisible in the environment. Captured birds are
weighed and measured and their species, sex, and age are
recorded. Each is fitted with an aluminum leg band with a unique
number provided by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and released
unharmed. If the bird is captured again, the band provides the
link to retrieve this history, which then provides important
information on the routes used by migrating birds, their
longevity, and general physical condition. The purpose of the
project is to establish baseline data for the GCBO property on
both resident and migratory bird populations. About half of the
34-acre headquarters tract is old growth Columbia Bottomland
hardwood forest. The remaining