09/16/2026
*All birds are handled with appropriate permits for scientific research purposes*
The art of hummingbird banding- delicate yet swift.
Bird banding, also known as ringing, is the scientific process where researchers gently capture, and apply an identification band around a bird’s leg, while recording health and characteristics data before releasing it back into the wild. Hummingbirds in particular are a very small and delicate bird species that only trained, federally permitted banders are allowed to band them.
When a hummingbird is banded, researchers collect a surprising amount of information including species identification, age/sex estimation, health and condition of the bird, and recapture insights. Each band used is handmade specifically for hummingbirds, and weighs about the equivalent of two grains of rice. Every individual band has a unique number and letter sequence, allowing scientists to identify individual birds if they are captured or sighted again. Hummingbird banding is essential for advancing our understanding of hummingbird biology and conservation. It also aids scientists in tracking migration patterns across vast distances, measuring site fidelity, monitoring population trends over time, understanding molting patterns (how/when they replace their feathers), and detecting changes in species distribution potentially caused by climate change or habitat loss.
Photos captured by Chris Eley at the 2026 Sedona Hummingbird Festival hosted by the International Hummingbird Society.
