BBMA VII - Bird Banding and Molt Analysis Course

The seventh Bird Banding and Molt Analysis course (BBMA VII) will take place March 17-23 at the Instituto Alto Montana, near Itamonte, Minas Gerais, on the northern slope of Serra da Mantiqueira, in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. The initiative is sponsored by the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), and the Observatório de Aves da Mantiqueira (OAMa), with support from the Michigan Technological University (MTU), the Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG), and BirdsCaribbean. Motivated by the growing number of bird banders in Brazil and by the potential of molt-based aging systems for improving banding data quality, we aim to 1) promote the best possible command of basic banding skills while analyzing molt cycles and ageing of forest understory birds in the Atlantic Forest region; and 2) contribute to the formation of open-minded, field-tested, professional banders that will apply their skills here or anywhere else in the world.

The course syllabus is geared towards active bird banders, but we welcome applicants from any background, country, and level of expertise. Banding instructors Luiza Figueira (OAMa), Holly Garrod (BirdsCaribbean), Pedro Martins (OAMa), and Jared Wolfe (MTU) are all certified by the North American Banding Council. Márcio Repenning (FURG) has twenty years of banding experience, and more than thirty publications on bird ecology, behavior, and evolution. The five instructors have jointly banded more than 70,000 birds. They have profound knowledge of Neotropical avifauna and will work with a team of young ornithologists assisted by Gonçalo Ferraz. This year’s BBMA course will be bilingual, with classes taught in Portuguese and English; nonetheless, the content should be accessible to anyone who can communicate in English, Spanish, or Portuguese.

Instructor salary will be covered by their respective institutions, but we need to charge a fee of R$1900, payable to the Instituto Alto Montana, for accommodation and food throughout the duration of the course. This fee also covers transportation from and to Resende, the closest city with a long-distance bus terminal. Application is free and we may be able to offer partial support, depending on the outcome of ongoing grant applications. The course will enroll 20 students. 

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