A freshly banded scrub-jay awaits release.

Earlier this month, director of animal programs Michelle Smurl joined local ecologist Dr. Dave Breininger in Rockledge to band young Florida scrub-jays.

The bands serve as “name tags” that help researchers monitor individual birds. Each combination of band colors is unique.

Michelle weighs a scrub-jay.

Working under permits from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Michelle and Dave trapped unbanded scrub-jays and secured them in bags. The birds were weighed with a spring scale, taken out of the bag, aged based on their plumage, banded and released. A feather sample taken from each individual will be sent to a geneticist so we can confirm their relationship to known, banded scrub-jays.

Click here to learn more about our work with this iconic Florida species.