Officers
About MFOBB
How to join
MFOBB Chat Group
Annual Members Meeting
If you find a banded bird
Bander's Code of Ethics
Links
MFOBB Officers President Mike Bishop
Vice President Richard Wolinski
Secretary-Treasurer Brenda S. Keith
Newsletter Editor Allen T. Chartier

 
About MFOBB

The Michigan Field Ornithologists and Bird Banders are interested in promoting bird study throughout Michigan through banding or field observation techniques.

How to Join

Membership includes a newsletter and notice of annual meeting (additional fees); dues are $10/year!

To join, contact:

Brenda Keith
5750 East  S  Ave.
Vicksburg  MI   49097

 
MFOBB Chat Group

Interested in Michigan bird banding and field ornithology?
Join our mailing list. 
Send a message to: mfobbchat-subscribeATyahoogroups.com (replace AT with the @ sign)

More info about the list

 
Links

USGS Bird Banding Lab
North American Banding Council

Other banding and field ornithology organizations:
Association of Field Ornithologists
Inland Bird Banding Association -- including the journal North American Bird Bander
Ontario Bird Banding Association
Eastern Bird Banding Association
Western Bird Banding Association

Banding equipment (permit required):
Association of Field Ornithologists mist nets
Avinet
Other links to equipment

Regional bird observatories and organizations:
Rouge River Bird Observatory (Dearborn, MI)
Kalamazoo Nature Center - research (Kalamazoo, MI)
Whitefish Point Bird Observatory (Paradise, MI)
Holiday Beach Migration Observatory (Malden Center, Ontario)
Long Point Bird Observatory (Port Rowan, Ontario)
Ontario Field Ornithologists (they have an excellent checklist of recognizable forms)
Black Swamp Bird Observatory (Oak Harbor, OH)
Great Lakes HummerNet (MI, OH, IN) - hummingbird research project

Other links of interest:
Michigan Birds and Natural History -- the state journal
Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship program
Intensive monitoring recommendations for bird observatories -- workshop proceedings
Partners In Flight
Birdband archives -- international listserv for banders

North American Breeding Bird Survey home page
Recent Ornithological Literature online
Birdnet -- web site of the Ornithological Societies of North America (OSNA)
Cornell's BirdSource

 
Annual Members Meeting Each year, usually in early November, an annual membership meeting is held which provides an opportunity for all members to share information on new methods, knowledge, and research relating to bird banding in Michigan. Information on the current year's meeting can be found here.

The Bander's Code of Ethics

 1. More than anything else, banders are responsible for the safety and welfare of the birds they study. This means that stress and risks of injury or death need to be minimized. Some basic rules are as follows:
--  handle each bird carefully, gently, quietly, and with respect 
-- capture and process only as many birds as you can safely handle 
-- close traps or nets when there are known predators in the area 
-- do not band in inclement weather 
-- frequently assess the condition of traps and nets and repair them quickly 
-- trainees must be properly trained and supervised 
-- check nets every 20 to 30 minutes 
-- check traps as often as is recommended for each trap type 
-- properly close all traps and nets at the end of the banding day 
-- do not leave traps or nets set and untended 
-- only double-bag non-aggressive birds of the same size and species 
-- use the correct band size and banding pliers for each bird
-- treat all bird injuries in the most humane way

2. Banders must continually assess their own work to ensure that it is beyond reproach. 
-- reassess methods and your approach whenever an injury or mortality occur
-- accept constructive criticism from other banders

3. Banders must offer honest and constructive assessment of others' work to help maintain the highest standards possible. 
-- publish innovations in banding, capture and handling techniques 
-- educate prospective banders and trainers 
-- provide feedback of any instances of mistreatment of birds to the bander
-- if there is no improvement, then file a report with the Banding Office 

4. Banders must ensure that the data gathered are accurate and complete. 

5. Banders must obtain permission to band on private property.