Purple Martin Banding

Registration is open to Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance members only

Purple Martins are beloved, fascinating birds, and chances are you’ve seen a Purple Martin house in a yard or park near you. But this species has declined by nearly 40% in the last 50 years. Join SoWBA and Dick Nikolai, retired DNR staff, Wisconsin Purple Martin Association board member, and Purple Martin expert (he’s banded over 10,000 Purple Martins!), to learn about this incredible species, its interesting connections with people and Amish communities, and how you can help bolster their populations by banding Purple Martin chicks in Green Lake and Columbia County on July 6 or 7.

As participants, you will be holding Purple Martin chicks and shuttling them from the nest boxes to the banding table and back. You will be active! We will be walking on mowed grass on level ground during the event.

Photographs may be taken of the birds and of banding participants, but not of the Amish family members.

Our goal is to band 500 Purple Martin chicks! Join us for this memorable, educational, hands-on event.

Logistics:

• Three banding sessions offered:

  • Monday, July 6 morning (9:30AM to approx. 12PM) near Dalton, WI

  • Monday, July 6 afternoon (12:30PM to approx. 4PM) near Kingston, WI

  • Tuesday, July 7afternoon (1PM to approx. 4PM) near Rio, WI

• Children need to be age 10 or above and with an adult to participate.

• Proceeds from tickets cover the costs of the banding events and support bird conservation in southern Wisconsin.

Please contact Brenna Marsicek (bmarsicek@swibirds.org or 608-255-2473) or Mark Martin (goosep@swibirds.org or 608-333-9645) with questions.

Photo by Arlene Koziol

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