CFWEP partners with the University of Montana in Missoula to provide the Bird’s-Eye View Education Program (BEVEP). Funding for this program comes from the State of Montana’s Natural Resource Damage Program. The partnership of CFWEP & The University of Montana provides a unified source for watershed education in the Clark Fork drainage as it relates to damages from a century of mining. The Bird’s-Eye View Education Program runs several times a week from June – August at bird banding stations. These events are free and are appropriate for kids and adults of all ages! Come and gain a bird’s perspective on past mining activities, riparian areas, and what current restoration efforts mean to them.

Visit the University of Montana Bird Ecology Lab Website for more information!

Bird Banding Stations

Bird banding stations – our songbirds are affected by the health of our watershed. Occurring in the spring and early summer, we capture songbirds at two sites along the Clark Fork drainage and collect information regarding the birds’ health and breeding condition. This, in addition to the number of species and individuals, provides us information about the level of biodiversity our riparian habitat is sustaining. We also band and monitor osprey, see our osprey education page.

About Bird Banding

Are you curious about Montana’s birds? Join the CFWEP and The University of Montana Bird Ecology Lab for a morning of bird banding at one of these locations:

• Seeley Lake Ranger Station
• Five Valleys Land Trust Rock Creek Property near Clinton
• MPG Ranch near Florence (by appt. only)

What can you expect to see & learn by visiting our bird banding station?

• Observe birds “in the hand” and find out what a “brood patch” is.
• Learn why biologists capture and band birds & what kind of data we collect.
• Gain bird ID skills and learn a few common bird songs.
• Find out why riparian areas are so important to birds.
• Learn the history of mining activities in the Upper Clark Fork Basin and the effect those activities had on bird communities.

Bird Banding Dates 2019

In addition to the above dates, there will be special banding dates in Deer Lodge and Butte/Anaconda in July. Please inquire with Mike for more details.

*By appointment only, call Mike at 703-217-7592