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Hermit thrush
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Male painted bunting
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Female painted bunting
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The Sullivan’s Island Bird Banding Station had a busy spring season. Between February and May, we banded 345 birds from 21 species.
The most common species were myrtle warblers – also known as yellow-rumped warblers or butter butts – and gray catbirds. Myrtle warblers overwinter in the Lowcountry and are abundant from October until April. They are easily identifiable by their distinct yellow rump patches. We are learning more about the gray catbirds on Sullivan’s Island. Some of them are using the protected land as a migration stopover location, while others are using it as overwintering grounds. Banding data indicates that gray catbirds are not sticking around to breed on the island.
Recaptures from the spring are starting to reveal more about the site fidelity of the migratory birds on the island. We recaptured several gray catbirds that had returned to the island to overwinter. One was originally banded as a hatching year bird back in 2016. We also recaptured hermit thrushes and orange-crowned warblers that were banded in prior winters.
We recorded site fidelity to breeding grounds in painted buntings. We recaptured a female that was banded in the spring of last year. We also recaptured an adult male for the fourth year in a row. The record for the oldest painted bunting was recently tied when a bander in South Carolina recaptured a 14-year-old bird. It is quite a feat that these birds migrate to and from the Caribbean and often return to the exact same locations each year. The adult male we continue to recapture likes to sing from the top of the same cedar tree each spring.
The Sullivan’s Island Bird Banding Station will begin fall migration banding on Sept. 1. If you are interested in visiting or volunteering at the station, email sullivansislandbirds@gmail.com.