Wildlife Diversity Program Quarterly Report for July–September 2025
American Oystercatcher Banding by Carmen Johnson, Waterbird Biologist; Claire Reilly and Jacob Krueger, Waterbird Technicians
I n July, the Waterbird Team was joined in the field by Brian Van Druten, a biologist at Pea Island National Wildlife Ref- uge, to band American Oystercatcher chicks that had hatched in the spring on islands managed by NCWRC. Banding these birds allows researchers and site managers to monitor their dis- persal, nest site selection, survival, and more; these data can then be used to inform conservation decisions and increase the accuracy of population models. American Oystercatcher banding in North Carolina is part of a larger scale banding and resighting effort across their range, with each participating state using a different band color — birds banded in North Carolina receive dark green bands. A 26-year-old female, known by the code 06, has been resighted by biologists and the public nearly 130 times over her lifetime. She returned to Dare County again this year to nest on one of the waterbird islands that NCWRC manages to help American Oystercatchers and other waterbirds. This year she and her unbanded mate successfully fledged a full clutch of three chicks. Brian and the Waterbird Team were able to band two of her chicks and we hope that they will return to nest on their own in the coming years.
CARMEN JOHNSON
Claire Reilly holds an American Oystercatcher chick while Brian Van Druten carefully closes the bands.
JACOB KRUEGER
CLAIRE REILLY
Left: Morphometric data, including bill length, are recorded for each chick that is banded. Right: Brian Van Druten (Pea Island NWR) bands a young American Oystercatcher.
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