Maine wildlife dept. offers bird bands
AUGUSTA, Maine—Maine's wildlife department is offering up its Maine Birder Band program for a fourth straight year, giving bird enthusiasts a chance to voluntarily support the department's non-game bird conservation efforts.
For a $20 contribution, participants in the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife program get an individually numbered bird band, like the ones that wildlife biologists put on migratory birds to help track their distribution. Wildlife officials say the bands are often put on binocular straps, cameras and other outdoor gear to show support for bird conservation
To date, the birder band funds have supported the department's efforts to study coastal marsh sparrows, update population assessments of grassland birds and launch Maine eBird, a popular birding Internet site where birdwatchers can share information about their bird sightings.
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