It's just another day at the office for the Vancouver Avian Research Centre (VARC).
For over a decade, the volunteer group has operated a bird monitoring and banding program at Colony Farm Regional Park in Port Coquitlam.
Banding occurs year-round and migration monitoring happens annually from April to May and August to October.
The group records the age, sex, wing and tail lengths, fat deposits, and body mass of various bird species. The data gathered contributes to avian research, including migration patterns, behaviour, and longevity.
Bird banding also provides information on how to conserve the land and environments in which species live and breed.
Colony Farm, in particular, is a popular stopover site for migratory birds.
"There's obviously a lot of development, a lot of urbanization, on the escarpments surrounding the park which tends to push birds down into the park, and the height of the vegetation here is ideal for bird banding because birds are moving at net height, not moving through the mid or upper canopy," explains VARC chair, Derek Matthews.
The group is also careful not to put too much stress on the little ones.
"The welfare of every bird is our top priority at all times. So bird banding, of course, can be stressful for the birds and what we try to do is minimize that stress by holding birds for very short periods," says Matthews.
Over 1,400 bird species are threatened by extinction worldwide.
As birds continue to face numerous threats globally, VARC's monitoring and data collection plays a vital role in local habitat conservation and avian education.
