From the NY Department of Environmental Conservation:
Last year, DEC kicked-off a five-year Atlantic brant migration and breeding ecology study with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the Canadian Wildlife Service.
Crews began marking brant with geolocators attached to red and white plastic-colored leg bands, which have a three-digit code of letters and numbers on them (left photo). The geolocators themselves are clear, plastic electronics about the size of a “fat nickel” and have a plastic cable lock tie.
In addition, crews will begin marking brant with two smaller colored leg bands, one on each leg. These bands will consist of one letter or number on a white background (right photo). Some birds also have GPS transmitters on their backs (middle photo).
How can you help? Sightings and/or photographs of color bands and birds with transmitters are very helpful to the study.
- If you see a brant with either type of colored leg band, please report the observation to the Patuxent Bird Banding Laboratory website. When you complete the report, the bird banding lab will e-mail you a certificate of appreciation for your time and assistance.
- If you see a bird with a transmitter on its back, but no color leg bands, please e-mail us to report your observation. Pictures of the bird would be greatly appreciated.
How can you help? Sightings and/or photographs of color bands and birds with transmitters are very helpful to the study.
