Project Mist Net

This semester the CCSP Belize staff has been excited to offer mist netting as a new experience for students! Mist netting is a great tool for gathering bird data through banding (migration, nesting success), as well as education. In case any readers are new to the field, a mist net is a very thin net, usually around 4x25m and is strategically set and waited on for the temporary capture of birds. Once captured, birds may be presented to school groups for educational purposes. For banding, notes and measurements are taken to gather migration patterns, DNA samples, population estimates, or other detailed observations (Such as brood patches, featherless patches beneath the belly indicating a parent currently sitting on eggs).

Marissa with a Common Yellowthroat molting into it's winter plumage

Measuring the wing cord of this Green-backed Sparrow would be essential for banding

Our mist net project here at Nabitunich is a basic introduction to the field of mist netting for the students to potentially pursue similar activities and training in the future, be it academic or for hobby. It’s also a rare and exceptional way to see birds such as warblers (which are usually hard to spot on a typical nature walk) up close in person, beholding all their amazing details. As exciting as this can be, it is indeed not a game. The safety of the birds is the top priority in any mist net project, with training required from licensed master bird banders.

Jon with a Hooded Warbler

Kentucky Warbler

Nick and Kelly with Hooded (L) and Kentucky (R) Warblers

After a bit of searching around the campus and preparations on the net, we discovered an ideal place for mist netting in a forest fragment near the Mopan River. The river being nearby has allowed a few water-seeking birds to find their way to the net, along with many birds common to the upland broadleaf tropical forest of Belize. A few species, such as the Common Yellowthroat, Ovenbird and the Northern Waterthrush were great to see. Because these birds migrate north to temperate zones for the summer, they’re presence here in Belize indicates the winter migration occurring right before our eyes! They seemed to arrive overnight. Scott with a Magnolia Warbler

Brindley with a Magnolia Warbler

With a bit of patience we’re working on proper removal from the net, proper bird hand hold techniques, bird release techniques, as well as proper set up and take down of the net. Who knows, perhaps some day in the future students and staff will have further opportunities in studying and stewarding God’s amazing avifauna. Black-and-white Warbler

Rebekah with a Kentucky Warbler


Our list of catches thus far:
Common Yellowthroat
Black-and-white Warbler
Kentucky Warbler (5)
Magnolia Warbler (2)
Green-backed Sparrow
Clay-colored Robin
Northern Waterthrush (2)
Ovenbird (2)
Red-throated Ant-tanager (5)
Hooded Warbler (3)
White-breasted Wood-wren