Presque Isle Bird Banding

01/05/2026

It’s ! And so, friends, what’s the buzz, tell us what your spark bird was!

“What wild creature is more accessible to our eyes and ears, as close to us and everyone in the world, as universal as a bird?” – Sir David Attenborough

In celebration of today—
Please share the (bee) buzz, friends, tell us what your spark bird was!

⬇️ Let us know in the comments below. ⬇️

We look forward to hearing your stories!

******
📷: Blue-winged Warbler by LMK
📍: Presque Isle State Park
All birds handled by trained personnel operating under appropriate state and federal permits. Presque Isle Bird Banding

12/19/2025

🎶 The cold never did bother me anyways… 🎶

Meet the Golden-crowned Kinglet, true Frozen Royalty
👑❄️🏆🙌🏻

Brrrr… Dear Santa, if not too much trouble, we’d love just a teensy bit more of that beautiful ‘balmy’ weather from yesterday, please. Promise we’ve been good this year. 🥶🚫😇😂

Happy ! As cold as we might be feeling today, imagine being the size of a thumb and weighing roughly that of a nickel- oh and you also winter in areas where the nighttime windchill can be as low as -40°F. Because Golden-crowned Kinglets (GCKI) do just that!

Befitting of their Latin name, "little king," these tiny balls of energy have perfected surviving in subzero temps. In the wintertime, during the day, GCKI never stop moving for more than an estimated 2 SECONDS at a time! This is because they need to consume 3X their weight in insects EVERY DAY to maintain their internal furnace at 110°F (yes, you read that correctly). And, as for 'insulation, GCKI feathers make up 8% of their body weight- the same as an arctic explorer's clothing!

But perhaps the best adaptation of all, Golden-crowned Kinglets have a single tiny (adorable!) feather covering each of their nostrils (nares).
👑❄️🏆🙌🏻

****
📸: Golden-crowned Kinglet by LMK
📍: Presque Isle State Park
All banding conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey. Presque Isle Bird Banding

12/02/2025

🎵 We’re feeeeling good! 🎵

In 2025, we welcomed an incredible 1,517 visitors to our bird banding station— a new station record! 🥰

At Erie Bird Observatory, we know the power that birds have to connect people of all ages and backgrounds with nature, with each other, and with themselves. Helping people make these connections is one of the driving forces behind our work.

As we spend time this holiday season reflecting on the past year, we wanted to say THANK YOU. We are incredibly grateful for each and every opportunity to share in the JOY that birds can bring into our lives.

This giving season, we hope you’ll join our amazing community in supporting EBO’s avian research, outreach, and education efforts in northwest Pennsylvania. In doing so, you will be helping support the creation of new memories just like the ones featured in the video here.

As always, we thank you and the birds thank you!

(Link to donate in comments)

11/02/2025

‼️TODAY‼️ is the LAST CHANCE to visit the Erie Bird Observatory banding station until APRIL 2026!

We’ll be welcoming visitors at our Fry’s Landing banding station located out on sunny Presque Isle State Park until 3pm TODAY, Sunday November 2nd. Located btwn Perry Monument and Beach 11, look for our large Bird Banding sign by the side of the road.

Stop by, say hi, & Let us show you just how incredible birds are.

‼️TODAY‼️ is the LAST CHANCE to visit the EBO banding station until APRIL 2026!

We’ll be welcoming visitors at our Fry’s Landing banding station located out on sunny Presque Isle State Park until 3pm TODAY, Sunday November 2nd. Witness science in action, speak with EBO staff, and perhaps even see some of your favorite feathered friends up closer than ever before! Plus - fun activities, trivia, & more, oh my! Located btwn Perry Monument and Beach 11, look for our large Bird Banding sign by the side of the road.

Stop by, say hi, & Let us show you just how incredible birds are.

••••••••••••••
📸: American Tree Sparrow by LMKoitsch
📍: Presque Isle State Park, PA
All banding conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey. Presque Isle Bird Banding

10/31/2025

Happy Owl-o-ween from all of us at Erie Bird Observatory! 🖤🎃🦉🎃🖤

(Pt. 2)

Happy Owl-O-Ween! 🖤🎃🦉🎃🖤

••••••••
(Pt.2)
Silent Flight.

In October 2022, the EBO banding team was shocked to discover not one, but two (!!) Eastern Screech-Owls in our songbird nets- a first for our station!

If catching these amazing murder floofs wasn’t exciting enough, check out the close up photo below of their outermost primary feather — notice anything different? 🧐

For most species of birds, the beauty of flight comes at a cost. Wing flapping creates turbulence, which in turn produces sound / noise. But not for owls. Owls have their own built-in “silencers,” feathers comprised of a comb-like leading edge, a fringed trailing edge, and an overall velvety texture. And by these powers combined, air is smoothly funneled over their wings, dampening any would-be turbulence and with it, any sound.

Birds are amazing! 🖤🦉🧡

*****
📸: Eastern Screech-Owl
📍: Presque Isle State Park
All banding conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the USGS.
Presque Isle Bird Banding

10/31/2025

Happy Owl-o-ween from all of us here at Erie Bird Observatory! 🖤🎃🦉🧡🖤

Happy Owloween! 🧡🦉🎃🖤

•••••••••
(Pt. 1)
My, what big ears you have.
The better to hear you with, my deer (mouse).

You probably already know how amazing owls are, but they exhibit several cool adaptations, some of which can be seen in the Northern Saw-whet Owl pictured here.

First are their asymmetrical ears that allow them to better triangulate the location of their prey, essentially enabling them to become the incredible little murder floofs that they are.

Are you ready for the really spo👀ky part though?! Gently blowing on the owl's feathers reveals its extremely large ears - and - if you look at the photo below on the right of the owl's ear, that bluish gray bit is... wait for it... the backside of its incredibly huge eye ball!! 🤯

Like with its large asymmetrical ear openings, large eyes are another adaptation that allows for them to become apex predators of the night. Because Northern Saw-whet Owls are so small (relatively speaking), it’s estimated that their eyeballs are five percent of their overall body mass! How cool is that?!

As always, birds are amazing! 🦉

(And, Stay tuned for Part 2!)

*****
📸: Northern Saw-whet Owl
📍: Presque Isle State Park
All banding conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey. Presque Isle Bird Banding

10/26/2025

🎉 TODAY 🎉
SUNDAY, October 26
11:30 - 4pm

The Erie Bird Observatory bird banding station located out at Fry’s Landing, Presque Isle State Park will be welcoming visitors from 11:30am to 4pm TODAY, SUNDAY Oct 26th. Stop by, say “hi,” & Let us show you just how incredible birds are!

🎉 TODAY 🎉
SUNDAY, October 26
11:30 - 4pm

Yesterday, visitors at the EBO bird banding station were treated to up close views of this absolute stunner of a species- the White-eyed Vireo! 🤩

- both male and female White-eyed Vireos (WEVI) sing on the wintering grounds, but only the male sings on the breeding grounds. Or that WEVI “bathe” by rubbing their body against dewy foliage in the morning. (How cute is that?!)

Interested in more fun facts about our feathered friends? We’ll be welcoming visitors at our Fry’s Landing bird banding station from 11:30 - 4pm TODAY, Sunday October 26th. Witness science in action, speak with EBO staff, and perhaps even see some of your favorite feathered friends up closer than ever before! Plus - fun activities, trivia, & more, oh my! Located btwn Perry Monument and Beach 11, look for our large Bird Banding sign by the side of the road.

Stop by, say “hi,” & Let us show you just how incredible birds are!

*********
📸: White-eyed Vireo by SSargent
📍: Presque Isle State Park
All banding conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey. Presque Isle Bird Banding

10/25/2025

‼️ DELAYED OPENING ‼️
TODAY | Saturday, October 25
12-3pm NOT 10-2pm
Please note the new opening time for today.

The Erie Bird Observatory Bird Banding station located out at Frys Landing, Presque Isle State Park will be welcoming visitors beginning at NOON today, **NOT** at 10am as per usual.

Located btwn Perry Monument and Beach 11, look for our large Bird Banding sign by the side of the road. Please note: if our sign is not out then that means we are not currently open to the public. Thank you!

********
📷: Pileated Woodpecker by KAndersen

10/24/2025

10/24/2025

‼️ NO BANDING ‼️
TODAY | Friday, October 24th
The best laid plans of (tit)mice and men…

The Erie Bird Observatory Bird Banding Station at Fry’s Landing, Presque Isle State Park will be **CLOSED** Today, FRIDAY, October 24th due to inclement weather (freezing temps). Weather willing, we hope to open nets this weekend and we look forward to welcoming visitors from 11am-3pm both Saturday and Sunday. We kindly remind everyone to please check this page for last minute updates before driving all the way out to Fry’s. As always, we thank you and the birds thank you!

*******
📷: White-breasted Nuthatch by CVara. All banding conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey's Bird Banding Lab.