The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-12-23
Birds Are Studied BY
Leg Banding Methods

Trapping and banding birds i'm
order to study their habits is being
done at the North Dakota Agricul-
tural college by O. A. Stevens. The
purpose Of banding, states Mr..
Stevens, is primarily to determine if
birds come back to the same locality
each season, how long Il bird lives,
how fast bird travels from place
to place, and in general the migra-
tory habits Of the birds. Some bird
banding is done to determine the diff
fc.cnt localities where a certain
species Of bird winters, while other
studies are to discover the changes
Of plumage. The diseases. healing
Of wounds and deformitias are also
studied by the banding method. BY
trapping and banding the preference
of certain foods can be determined,
Mr.. Stevens adds.
Five traps have been in operation
at least part Of the time the past
fall by Mr.. Stevens. and he has been
able to band and study several species
of birds, among which, are the song
sparrow, Harris sparrow. white
crowned sparrow, Junco and Lincoln
sparrow. Other species of birds were
trapped and banded, but the five
mentioned above were the principal
ones studied. The song sparrow
happened to be trapped most fire.
quently, as Mr.. Stevens records in
dictate. 1t was trapped and banded
One-third of the total number.
Harris sparrows usually spend not
more than three to four weeks in
this region during the spring ana
fall, but one was trapped and banded
ny Mr.. Stevens on october ., 1870,
and returned for l3 repeats during
the following 26 days. The Harris
sparrow is supposed to nest in the
interior OF Canada and winter in the
Central United States, according to
Mr.. Stevens. 1t is only found in the
Great Plains region, IA strip between
the Mississippi river and the Rock
les.
Records of several other birds show
that repeats were made from six
to ten times.
Banding of birds was first started
in the United States in 1903 by j.
J. Audubon. In 1908 the first bands
similar to those used at present were
adopted for general use. it was dur
ing the years from 1903 to 1920 that
the bird banding was carried on in
a small way by several societies
throughout the United States. Then
in 1920 the banding was taken over
by the Biological! Survey of the
United States Department Of Agricsl-
ture at Washington, D. {. At the
present time there are four bird
banding associations or societies that
work under the supervision Of tn,
Biological Survey department. These
societies, points out Mr.. Stevens
now cooperate among themselves il
order to develop the work so that
it may he Of more interest and value
| The band used is made Of alum.
mum, in various sizes to fit tn,
birds, and each band has y seria
number and the address Of the Bio
logical Survey at Washington. d. c
All records are kept At Washington
and anyone finding Il banded hire
should send the band to the offic,
there, states Mr.. Stevens
Records for bird banding in tn,
entire United States show that dur
ing the year July, 1925, To July, 1926
there were Gs,ils birds banded l.,
1.l34 people doing the work. Durin,
that time there were 3,35l birds thai
came back on returns. In general
states Mr.. Stevens, the return run,