Hummer Banding Demo

HummerBird Celebration

Each year during Rockport-Fulton's HummerBird Celebration a licensed hummingbird banding team busily bands the hummingbirds carefully caught in nets. Each hummer is fitted with a tiny band containing a letter and five numerals to identify it. All bird banding information is carefully recorded by the bander and the data is sent to the North American Bird Banding Laboratory where banding records are maintained. Whenever a banded bird is recaptured by another bander, the information is sent to the banding lab. The banding lab notifies the original bander of the place and date their bird was recaptured. The bander who recaptured the bird is notified where and when the bird was originally banded.

Master Bander Susan Heath

(Private Bander for Hummer Bus Trips)

Susan is the Director of Conservation Research at the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory in Lake Jackson, Texas. She holds a Master Permit from the USGS Bird Banding laboratory and has been involved with various banding projects for 16 years. She bands wintering hummingbirds in the Houston and Brazosport areas in addition to her research projects on American Oystercatchers, Wilson’s and Snowy Plovers, Willets and Loggerhead Shrikes.

Master Bander Sumita Prasad

(Open to the Public Banding Site)

Sumita Prasad is an avid birder, naturalist, world traveler, and a native Texan of Indian descent. She holds a Master Permit from the USGS Bird Banding Laboratory and has been banding for over 17 years. Sumita focuses on banding wintering hummingbirds in the Houston area, but also bands other birds- including songbirds, raptors, pelicans, and more.

Banding Demonstration Dates & Times:

Friday, Sept. 14 and Saturday, Sept. 15 – 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 16 – 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.