The Early Bird Got the Band

Nearly 50 curious bird aficionados recently joined researchers out at Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery on a Saturday morning for a demonstration of conservation fieldwork.

Our new curator of ornithology Glaucia Del-Rio joined forces with bander Charlie Muise and UF students studying here at the Museum to show how scientists conduct work in the field with presentations on bird capturing, data collection and bird banding.

UF Bird Observatory fieldwork demonstrations of bird capturing, data collection and bird banding at the Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery

University of Florida Bird Observatory Banding assistant Mia Keriazes and UF Biology student Calypsa McCarthy banding a Gray-Catbird. Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace

Glaucia Del-Rio speaks to event participants and they stand outside in a field

Ornithologist Glaucia Del-Rio speaks with those who braved the drizzly weather to observe bird banding fieldwork at the Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery. Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace

Event participants and researchers walk through a field

UF students Thomas Lilkendey and Jackson Martin bringing a bird to the Banding station. Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace

two people working to free a bird captured in a net

UF student Ashley Casciotti and field assistant Brynn Fricke extracting a Wood Thrush from a mistnet. Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace

Charlie Muise holding a captured bird and speaking to participants observers in the Early Bird Gets the Band event

Charlie Muise demonstrates how to safely hold a captured cardinal. Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace

researchers work at a table to band captured birds

Jackson Martin, UF PhD student Suyash Sawant, and Banding Assistant Preston Bertka-Ballard processing a Wood Thrush. Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace

Guests got to learn about bird migration patterns through the region and beyond, and how banding works to inform research and inform conservation efforts. They got up-close looks at the tools used to capture and band birds, including the guide to leg size to determine needed bands, and how to carefully handle the birds to reduce stress and injury.

Although light, intermittent rain teased our morning participants in the field, the weather cooperated just long enough to learn about the four birds that were banded, including a wood thrush!

a band being placed around the leg of a bird

A wood thrush is banded. Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace

Charlie Muise holding up the tool used to measure birds for banding

Charlie Muise shows event participants the tools used for banding birds. Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace

Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace

Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace

Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace

Mia Keriazes banding a Gray Catbird. Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace

The UF Bird Observatory team is looking forward to hosting further banding events to inspire citizen science and environmental conservation education in an effort to understand Florida’s place in the migratory bird corridor.

person in a blue Florida Museum shirt holds a captured bird

UF PhD student Orlando Acevedo-Charry with a Wood Thrush. Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace

Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace

Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace

researcher holding a captured bird and speaking event participants

Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace

researcher shows an event participant how to hold a captured bird

Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace

This ticketed event was held at Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery in the early morning of September 27, 2025. We thank our partners and supporters for helping bring guests out to observe live fieldwork.