Photo (C) Josh Sazer @joshsazer
Teaneck Creek’s Bird Band-a-thon
at the Creek kicks off Fall 2025!
Supporting the band-a-thon at Teaneck Creek supports research like this, supports the birds you love, and the organization that makes this work possible. Learn more about the process of banding birds at the links below. and pledge today!
What is the bird-band-a-thon?
A pledge-a-thon, such as a walk-a-thon or a read-a-thon is a type of fundraising event where supporters commit to making a financial payment for each milestone reached. In the case of a walk-a-thon that would be miles (or kilometers if you are from anywhere other than the US or scientifically-minded) while a read-a-thon would be a commitment to pay per page read or book read. Here at Teaneck Creek, we’re hoping you’re willing to pledge per bird we band.
What is bird banding?
Rutgers Newark Students gather around the Teaneck Creek Banding Station to learn about banding birds.
Bird-banding is a tool scientists use for studying birds. There are specially designed nets that are nearly invisible to birds that we use to temporarily capture birds. We then remove the bird from the net and collect data such as the species, sex, and weight of the bird. We also put a metal identification bracelet on the birds - a band. Each band has a unique number that is then sent to the U.S.G.S. who oversees most bird banding in the United States. (U.S.F.W.S. oversee ducks). Since 2023, we have been bird banding at Teaneck Creek to see how our bird community is thriving post restoration. This fall, we are expanding into migration banding and we want to you to be involved!
How can I be involved?
We’re hoping you are as excited about birds as we are and want to pledge to make a financial commitment for every bird we capture. You will also be able to follow along on social media (Facebook and Instagram). And best of all, if you are local and an early riser, you can come see the bird banding at the park.
A bird bander demonstrates how to check the fat levels on a bird.
When will the band-a-thon take place?
It’s starting right now. That’s right. You can make a pledge today. Then after the season is over (November, we’ll contact you with how much you owe.
Our Fall banding season will take place from late September through late October to take advantage of the full migration period. Our anticipated banding schedule is:
Saturday, September 20 (rain date Sunday, September 21)
Saturday, October 4 (rain date Sunday, October 5)
Saturday, October 25 (rain date Sunday, October 26)
Then join us for an after season celebration at A Flight & a Bite at the Hackensack Brewing Co. on Sunday, October 26 from 12:30-4pm.
How many different kinds of birds can you band?
We have a permit and the materials to band songbirds - your phoebes, sparrows, blackbirds, etc. We do not have a permit or bands for ducks, hawks, or herons. You can look at our past ebird records to get a sense of what we might see this season.
How many birds do you expect to band?
We don’t know! Fall migration banding will be a first for us at Teaneck Creek! Here’s how we expect it to differ from our past summer banding efforts:
Summer Banding:
Focuses on the bird species that nest in the park
Focus is on measuring nesting success - or the number of fledging (baby) birds that leave the nest
Density of birds will be lower during the summer because every bird family needs plenty of space (and resources) for raising their young
The population of birds remains fairly stable, although it will increase from the addition of baby birds leaving the nest. The population can decrease from predation or when the baby birds are ready to head out on their own
Fall (Migration) Banding
Focuses on the birds that are moving through on their way south for the winter
Focus is both species that may have been around all summer and those that reside further north
Density of birds will be higher as all the birds from north of us coming streaming down to avoid winter and the challenges that come with finding food during the colder months of the year
The population of birds in the park will fluctuate wildly from day to day. It will depend on which species are migrating at the moment and whether the weather patterns are favorable.
So, how many birds do you get during the summer?
What is a recapture?
When a bird is reencountered. Either the same day, a different day, or even a different year, we call that a recapture. This is really important because for the purposes of what we are trying to learn, this means the bird is continuing to call Teaneck Creek home.
What’s an escapee?
Sometimes a bird can get out of the net on its own. And sometimes we’re (un)lucky enough to witness it. Other times, we occasionally have butterfingers and a bird can slip from our hands and vanish back into the park before we can put a band on it. These are our escapees. There’s little we can do about the birds that escape on their own from the nets, but escapes from the hand are a natural consequence when you are also running a training program.
A Teaneck Creek bird bander reviews the plumage in a field guide to verify the age of the bird in his hand.
How much effort do you put in to get 100s of birds?
Now you’re thinking like a scientist. Each summer, we band for 6 hours on 8 days using 10 nets that are 12 meters long. How many hours, days, and nets we use has a direct impact on how many birds we are likely to capture.
Does that mean you’re expecting to get even more birds?!
You’re a clever cookie! Because we know, scientifically, there is a greater likelihood of having even more birds in the park and because we want to handle every bird with respect - which means processing them quickly and safely, we will be using fewer nets and over fewer hours. Our plan for 2025 is to band for 3 hours for 3 mornings using 6 nets.
How does pledging work?
Basically, you’ll complete the linked Google Form telling us who you are what you are pledging. This can be for
Number of bird species banded
Number of birds banded
Number of recaps (this will likely be very low as birds are on their way south)
You can also decide how much you want to give per species/bird/recap. That can be as little as $.25 per bird to $1 per species, to $5 per recap or even more! Whatever you feel comfortable (and excited) to commit! We have a pledge scale here, that shows you what the final amount of your pledge could be based on the possible number of birds. Be sure to check out the 3 tabs: Per Bird Captured, Per Species Captured, and Per Bird Recaptured.
When can I pledge?
Pledging can now and will wrap up at our end of season celebration on Sunday, October 26th. We’ll announce the 2025 season total at A Flight & A Bite at the Hackensack Brewing Co.
Can I make a donation instead of a pledge?
Yes! We are also accepting flat donations as well. You can do so here. We understand the nature of pledges may not be for everyone!