GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Get a closer look at feathered friends at the Florida Museum of Natural History’s Early Bird Gets the Band event taking place at the Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery on Saturday, Sept. 27, from 7:30 to 10 a.m.

Presented in partnership with the University of Florida Bird Observatory, this engaging early-morning gathering brings together bird enthusiasts with trained ornithologists to take part in live fieldwork. Participants will witness real demonstrations of bird capturing, data collection and bird banding while learning about their migration patterns, identification and conservation.

“Bird banding works like giving each bird its own name tag. Scientists carefully use a fine mesh net to catch a bird, place a small, numbered ring on its leg, jot down some information and gently let it go,” said Glaucia Del-Rio, the Florida Museum’s assistant curator of ornithology. “All of that info powers smart conservation decisions such as protecting key migration routes, identifying populations that are declining or guiding regulations on land use.”

Del-Rio will be one of the scientists participating in the event, along with Charlie Muise, manager of the newly created UF Bird Observatory.

“Birds go to bed early and wake up early, too,” Del-Rio said. “The time just before and after sunrise is birdwatching gold: Birds are wide awake, singing energetically, hunting for breakfast and moving around more. Once the heat of the day settles in, especially in places like Florida, birds retreat to cool, shaded areas and stay mostly quiet.”

Bird banding has been federally regulated since the passage of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in 1918. Many states also require individual permits to prove valid conservation purposes as well as demonstrate training and understanding of laws and regulations. The observatory seeks to train UF students on best practices to study birds ethically and on how to obtain their own permits for bird banding.

Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery does not have restrooms or seating; attendees are encouraged to plan accordingly and are welcome to bring their own chairs. For more information on parking, visit its website.

Preregistration is required for this event. Tickets are $5, and sales end Thursday, Sept. 25, at 4 p.m.

For more information or to sign up, visit www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/event/early-bird-gets-the-band-with-the-uf-bird-observatory-9-27-25.

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Writer: Nikhil Srinivasan, nsrinivasan@flmnh.ufl.edu
Source: Glaucia Del-Rio, g.delrio@floridamuseum.ufl.edu
Media contact: Kaitlin Gardiner, kgardiner@floridamuseum.ufl.edu