Name: Introduction to Bird Banding
Start: 2026-05-17T05:30:00-04:00
End: 2026-05-23T12:30:00-04:00
Location: Braddock Bay Bird Observatory

This introduction to banding is open to anyone interested in learning or perfecting banding skills from supportive, professional staff. Training takes place at the Kaiser-Manitou Beach Banding Station, located just northwest of Rochester, NY on the south shore of Lake Ontario, during the peak of passerine migration.
Mornings feature hands-on training in the field while afternoons are devoted to lectures, demonstrations, and in-depth instruction on various aspects of bird banding. General topics covered during each 7-day session include: netting and trapping techniques, removal of birds from mist nets, proper handling and processing of birds (including biometrics, ageing and sexing, molt terminology, skulling), use of the Pyle guide, permitting, relations with the public, and banders’ and professional ethics. The class is suitable for beginning and novice banders, but because of the small class size we can tailor the experience to accommodate the needs of more experienced banders as well.
The course has been approved by the North American Banding Council, uses training manuals produced by the NABC, and is taught by Andrea Patterson – an NABC certified Trainer who has taught more than 200 students in small hands-on workshops at BBBO, in the Adirondacks, and in Belize. Both beginning and advanced banders will find the class a useful primer for eventual NABC certification.
Course tuition is $600, which includes all materials. There is a $100 discount for students and early career professionals (within 5 years of terminal degree) who are pursuing careers in avian ecology or related fields, and who will be paying their own way. To encourage equity and inclusion in avian studies, we offer a limited number of full tuition waivers to students and early career professionals from groups historically excluded from or marginalized in the field.
Because space in these courses is extremely limited, priority is given to those with the opportunity to use these skills either in their work or as volunteers. Full payment is due upon accepting a seat in the class unless other arrangements are made. Tuition is refundable minus a $50 administrative fee if the participant cancels at least 30 days before the start of class. Cancellations within 30 days of the start of class are refundable only if we are able to fill the seat with another student. In some cases, students may be able to defer their participation to a later session.
At this time, we anticipate that students will need to secure their own housing, although we are happy to help coordinate students and facilitate searches for lodgings that are convenient and inexpensive.
COVID-19 Notification: COVID-19 has made it more difficult to offer hands-on instruction in a safe way as it requires close contact, “over the shoulder” supervision, passing birds and tools back and forth, etc. We strongly encourage all students and instructors in our classes to be fully vaccinated (i.e., being at least two weeks past the final recommended dose of a vaccine approved for use in the US). We expect that students accepted into the class will exercise sound judgment in their activities in the days and weeks leading up to their time at BBBO, and that they will be forthcoming in advising us of COVID-19 infection or known exposure within a week of the start date.
To apply, visit our website at <https: />