Sparrow Mix - MLNP Banding Report

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We completed our sixth fall season of banding at Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve on November 30. Because our time was roughly split between running nets and restoring habitat (primarily removing the massive bittersweet infestation), it was a particularly busy season. Our final tally was just over 1000 birds banded. While September (which is characterized by the passage of neotropical migrants) was the worst September in the station's history, the following month (during which temperate migrants dominate) was our best-ever October. Those results reflect the influences of banding effort, habitat work at the site, weather patterns, and population fluctuations.

In general, sparrows (temperate migrants) were common this season. The following collage shows six local migrants/residents that show mostly plain underparts as adults.

Clockwise from top left: Swamp, Chipping, Field, Clay-colored, American Tree, and immature White-crowned.

The Clay-colored Sparrow pictured above was actually banded near Ludington this past summer. Seeking to gauge local densities, age distributions, breeding status, and survivorship, Dave Dister and I initiated a study on the species at an old Christmas-tree farm near his home. Consequently, we aimed to band every adult male we could find. Although we only had four days to devote this year, we did catch 26 territorial males within the 25 acres of appropriate habitat in the parcel. Unfortunately, we ran out of time before capturing the last few. We also caught 5 females. We look forward to seeing how many return next summer.
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- Brian Johnson
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