The summer of 2016 was to be the 10th year of the Meewasin Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship at Beaver Creek Conservation Area. The closure of the Meewasin Valley Interpretive Centre as of July 1, 2016 and the cutting of key certified interpretive staff has an impact that does not allow the bird banding to continue. As a result the Meewasin bird banding program has been discontinued.
Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) is a bird monitoring program established by the Institute of Bird Populations based in California. Data collected from more than 500 participating members throughout Canada, Mexico and the continental United States are used to understand trends in landbird populations. Birds have been monitored for many years through various bird banding programs and are considered excellent indicators of the effects of environmental change, including climate change.
Birds are captured in mist nets and banded with a uniquely numbered band (unless previously banded) and released. Since 2007 Beaver Creek Conservation Area has participated in the program and has banded 1,149 individuals with a total of 37 species represented.
One of the highlights of each banding season is the recapture of birds banded from a year previous. In 2015 the following recaptures included: 3 American Redstarts (all from 2014), 2 Black-capped Chickadees (1 from 2011 and 1 from 2014), 4 Gray Catbirds (1 from 2010, 1 from 2012, and 2 from 2014), 1 Least Flycatcher (2014), 1 Song Sparrow (2014), 1 Veery (2012), and 10 Yellow Warblers (1 from 2010, 2 from 2011, 4 from 2012, and 3 from 2014).
MAPS offers valuable educational and scientific contributions to conservation. Its success is based on the aid of volunteers. The Beaver Creek Conservation Area MAPS program is a group effort between Meewasin Valley Authority staff and public volunteers.