If you're enamored with the sight of hummingbirds whizzing by your garden, the upcoming hummingbird banding event in northeastern Utah is a must-see. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, in collaboration with Ashley National Forest and Red Canyon Lodge, is offering a rare chance to glimpse these aeronautic acrobats up close. Scheduled for July 19 from 7-11 a.m., enthusiasts and curious observers are welcome to witness biologists as they band the birds, a process that aids in tracking migration patterns and conserving species.
Utah's skies are routinely navigated by five hummingbird species, with the broad-tailed and black-chinned varieties being the most common visitors so it stands to reason that these are the ones you'd likely see at your feeder if you've one, and the calliope hummingbird, North America's tiniest bird that logs an impressive 5,600-mile annual migration is also a potential sight. The free-to-attend event will take place at Red Canyon Lodge, where Terry Tolbert, a retired Bureau of Land Management Biologist, and Lisa Young, a Dixie National Service biologist, will conduct a banding demonstration to collect vital data for future avian conservation strategies, according to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
The banding involves fitting each bird with a tiny, uniquely numbered band around its leg, which helps biologists understand more about the lives these birds lead long after they've left our line of sight. Tonya Kieffer-Selby, DWR Northeastern Region Outreach Manager, illuminated the significance of this event by stating, "It's a rare and unique opportunity to see Utah's smallest pollinating birds in hand, while watching biologists gather baseline data to determine strategies for conserving these birds, their habitat and future research needs," as per Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Additionally, this hands-on event also serves as an educational platform, potentially unveiling migration secrets of species like the rufous hummingbird, which migrates from as far as Canada and Alaska.
