Hummingbird Monitoring Program 2023
Posted by Devin Manky August 29, 2023
A long term study
The hummingbird banding station on Grouse Mountain has been in operation since 2005 running a long term hummingbird banding and conservation program.
The conservation status of many different species of Hummingbirds has been in question for decades as researchers strive to learn more about these tiny wonders.
The purpose of our monitoring station is to work with the Hummingbird Monitoring Network based out of Arizona, USA to help with a long term monitoring and conservation program for the Rufous Hummingbird.
Three sessions, 61 birds
Due to late snowfall and wet weather into June, we were only able to conduct three monitoring sessions this year. This is fewer than we'd like, but even from these three sessions we managed to examine 61 individual birds and had a few recaptures.
We banded 35 Anna's Hummingbirds - a species that has taken to sticking around town all winter - and 26 of the Rufous Hummingbirds we are primarily monitoring.
All birds were in good health and there were many juvenile birds which bodes well for a healthy local population.
Continued Studies needed
Each year only tells a portion of the story, however, and more years of research and data are needed. Preliminary results unfortunately show a declining number of Rufous Hummingbirds as a whole, despite local populations appearing steady.
We must conserve their migration paths and important stop-over sites where the birds spend time re-fueling and eating before continuing on their annual migration to Mexico.
By keeping clean hummingbird feeders at home, filled with clear (no dyes needed) 3:1 water to sugar ratio solution, you can help hummingbirds as they breed in the spring and early summer or as they migrate on their way in the mid-late summer.
Be sure to check out our feeding station behind the main plaza outside of our chalet!
