Ken Keffer and Kim Check write about the wonder and curiosity which captivates many children and adults while visiting a bird banding station. Since the first record of bird banding by John James Audubon in 1803, thousands of people have had the experience of releasing a bird back into the wild after placing a small band on its leg and even more have been able to see the excitement in a child’s face when seeing a bird up-close for the first time.
Though bird banding stations are increasingly visited by environmental education programs a small amount of research has been done to show the effectiveness of these programs. One study conducted by Amy Busch and Ashley Dayer of The Klamath Bird Observatory showed 4th and 5th grade students demonstrating scientific skill and having an increase in knowledge and awareness of birds after participating in KBO’s Songbird, Science and School programs which involve both classroom visits and field-trips to the banding station. Click here to read the full article on Bird Education Network Bulletin.