Bandmigration

Bandmigration is a term used in wildlife biology to describe the study of migratory movements of animals that have been marked with bands, rings, or tags. The concept relies on recoveries or sightings of these markers to infer where individuals originate, the routes they follow, and the timing of their movements. The term combines band with migration and is used to understand movement patterns and population connectivity in various species.

Typically, banding programs apply lightweight markers to species such as waterfowl, shorebirds, and passerines. After release, observers report encounters to central registries, creating a database of bandRecoveries and re-sightings. Researchers analyze these data with mark-recapture models and movement analyses to estimate origins, migratory paths, stopover use, and survival rates.

Bandmigration studies inform conservation by identifying critical habitats along migration corridors and informing international cooperation for habitat protection and management. They are often complemented by other tracking approaches such as satellite tagging, GPS trackers, stable isotope analysis, and genetic studies.

Limitations include uneven reporting, low recovery rates, and geographic biases, which can constrain inference about routes or timing. The method provides indirect movement information and typically requires large sample sizes to resolve fine-scale patterns.