Idaho City Hummingbird Banding

This is one of our most popular, but also most under-funded projects! In recent years we have been forced to reduce our number of banding dates because of lack of funding. Please consider making a donation to this project. Whether you mail a check or donate online, please specify which project you are donating towards in the memo line of your check or in the special designation box online,  (e.g., General Funds, Long-billed Curlews, Hummingbirds). This is the ONLY way to ensure your donations are routed to the correct project. Thank you!

Thanks go out to Jennifer Alban for allowing us use of the study site. Thanks to the Hummingbird Conservation Networks for valuable advice and guidance. We also thank the US Forest Service (both the International Programs  and the Boise National Forest) for financial assistance. Funding provided by the USFS allowed us to purchase the safest and most up-to-date banding gear and traps. Thank you!

Interested in volunteering? Let us know!

•  Did you know that most of the hummingbirds that breed in Idaho fly all the way to western Mexico to winter? That’s a huge distance for such a tiny bird to cover – and they do it twice a year (spring and fall) for their entire life!
• How long do hummingbirds live? There are longevity records (determined through banding) for Calliope Hummingbirds as old as 9 years, and Black-chinned Hummingbirds as old as 12 years!
• Calliope Hummingbirds weigh about the same as a dime, while Black-chinned Hummingbirds weigh about the same as a penny.
• You don’t need to add red dye to feeders to attract hummingbirds (it is unhealthy for them). The red color on the feeder itself is more than enough to attract them. Ask us for our printable fact sheet “Top 5 Reasons to NOT use Red Hummingbird Nectar”. Read more in this Birdwatcher’s Digest article on red dye and feeders.
• The Calliope Hummingbird is the smallest bird in North America, and the smallest long-distance migratory bird in the world!

We have found this site to be very accessible to mobility limited visitors! The location is paved with no stairs. If you have limited mobility please contact us before your visit so we can make arrangements for you and your vehicle (we cannot transport wheelchairs or other mobility devices in our shuttle van).

Did you know you can wear your very own hummingbird crew shirt? Visit our Bonfire Store to order yours today.