MIST NETTING PROTOCOL

The banding crews have 3 types of objectives: 1) Locate new flocks to

use in experiments 2) colorband core flock members and 3) record as
many unique vocalizations of unique individuals of permanent flock
members and 4) use unique vocalizations in combination with other
techniques to target individual birds for either a) placement of
transmitters or b) removals
The following species are the primary target species within these
flocks.
CORE SPECIES
Type I
Thamnomanes
ardesiacus
Myrmotherula axillaris
Myrmotherula
longipennis*
Myrmotherula
menetriesii*
Epinecrophylla
leucopthalma

Type II
Thamnomanes
schistogynus
Myrmotherula axillaris
Myrmotherula
longipennis*
Myrmotherula
menetriesii*
Epinecrophylla
erythrura

1) Locating new flocks

Locating new flocks will require familiarity with the vocalizations of the
core flock members. In particular, try to be familiar with calls as these
are what the birds are most often using throughout the day. If its
particularly quiet, the crew can use playback and wait for a response.
Once birds respond its important to stop the playback so as not to
distract the natural movement pattern of the flock. Once the flock is
located, the crew should follow the flock, until they stop to roost for the
night.
While following the flock, the crew should collect the following data
1) A GPS point every 10 min
2) Species composition
3) Vegetation measurement
4) Nearest neighbor distance and angle for each core species
member every/half hour
5) SCAS recordings for all permanent core flock members
2) Roosting Data
1) Crews that will follow flocks will need to be present at the flock
roosting site predawn BEFORE birds start singing. Once at the
roosting site marker (should be flagged), the direction and
distance and time of singing should be recorded for each of the
primary flock species. In addition, you will need to record the
flock dawn chorus recording should run for 20 minutes.

3) Colorbands
There is a running log of colorbanded individuals for each permanent
member species within each flock.
Species will be colorbanded according to flock. In other words all the
members of the same flock will have the same color band on their right
leg which will be placed above the metal band. An single color band
on the left leg will be used to identify inidviduals. The same four colors
(Orange, White, Black, Grey) will be used sequentially to band
individuals of the same family group within a species.

Mist net crews will set up 10 mist nets and run two days of target mistnetting per flock. In order to get the core flock members, one crew
member will need to try and get recordings and use these in order to
bring different flock members into the net.
The following playback recordings should be tried for EACH target
species.
Target
Adult male
Adult male
Adult male
Adult male
Adult
Adult
Adult
Adult
Adult

male
male
female
female
female

Adult female
Adult female
Adult female
Juvenile
Juvenile

Playback Vocalization
Song of same male adult
Song of different male adult
Song of same female adult
Song of different female
adult
Distress call of female in net
Distress call of juvenile
Song of same male adult
Song of different male adult
Song of same female adult
Song of different female
adult
Distress call of female in net
Distress call of juvenile
Song of same male adult
Song of same female adult

Manipulating Recordings
Mist net crews will need to download all recordings made during the
day and they will need to be labeled with following code FLOCKSPECIES-VOCALIZATION TYPE TYPE OF RESPONSE DATE-ORIGINAL
RECORDING NUMBER in the folder corresponding to that specific flock.

FOLDER FLOCK B
EX. FLOCKB-MYAX-2NOTECALL-RTSONG-21-AUG-2014-DR00005
After codifying recordings, some of these will be manipulated using
Raven software for playback in order to capture birds the following day.

This will be the primary afternoon activity for each banding crew on the
on the 1st and 2nd day. Early morning of the 3rd day, they will do net
transfers to the new flock site.
A variety of techniques will have to be employed to attract the
different species in the nets. Most of the techniques will use variation
in playback recordings of the same birds to try and elicit responses of
birds into the nets. For that reason it is paramount that one member of
the team take recordings and diligent notes of those recordings of
responses to playback. Recordings of responses will need to include
the, species, context, age and sex (SCAS) of the bird whenever
possible (see Appendix 1).
Context=Distance to conspecifics, heterospecifics, vegetation density,
height, behavior in relation to conspecifics and associated behaviors:
courtship feeding, begging, alarm calling, mobbing, territory defense.
In addition, there will be visual cues in order to band flocking birds. As
of now this will include wooden decoys and mirrors.

4) Morphometric data
1) Morphometric data (see Appendix 2), blood samples and lice
samples (see Appendix 2-4) will be collected from ALL SPECIES
caught in nets. The morphometric data will be quite similar to
what most of you are familiar with during mist netting and bird
banding. (See appendix 2 for the sample scoring guide for body
condition). Removals for the experiments will include stomach
samples and feather samples.

5)Summary of equipment needed

Vocalization
equipment
Stereo speaker
Charger
Battery
Long stereo cable
Playback recorder
SD card
Raven software
Computer
Shotgun Mic
Tripod
Digital Recorder for
Mic
SCAS Datasheet

Mist Net
Equipment
Digital Scales
Caliper
Wing ruler
Holding cup
Needles
Cotton
Capillary tubes
Lice powder
Alcohol
Datasheets
Bags
Plastic bags
String
Nets
Poles
Pole extensions
Equipment box
Morphometric
Datasheet

Banding
Equipment
Color bands
Banding spoons
Metal bands
Banding pliers
Removal pliers
Banding code book

Appendix 1
Key to SCAS data columns
REGISTER

Number refering to any banded birds on the banding sheet

OBS

The initials of the observer

DATE

Please label date in the following order DAY, MONTH,YEAR EX. 10MAY14

TIME

Use military time only

WEATHER
SPECIES
SEX

AGE
VEG
DENSITY
HEIGHT
NN C
NNC
ANGLE
NN H

Include %cloud cover and wind intensity

Use four letter code for species
M=Male, F=Female, N=Not determined
Adult, Juvenile, Fledgling
0-25,26-50,51-75,76-100
Under 3m estimate to 0.5 meter, above 3 meters estimate to nearest meter
CONSPECIFICS - Sex, and age of conspecific if possible
CONSPECIFICS - Angle should be calculated using clock orientationl
HETEROSPECIFICS - Under 3m estimate to 0.5 meter, above 3 meters estimate
to nearest meter

NNH
ANGLE

HETEROSPECIFICS - Angle should be calculated using clock orientationl

PB
NUMBER

Note the identify of the recording used in the playback

PB TYPE
VOCALIZAT
ION
RECORDIN
G NO
REC TIME

Note what type of playback was used, song, dawn song, distress call from net,
etc..
Describe in best detail the vocalization recorded, 2 note call (1st note higher
than second) See guide books for example
Note the recorder unit and the recording file number
Note the exact minute/second or as close as possible to where the
vocalizations were recorded

APPENDIX 2 SCAS DATA SHEET

REGISTER

OB
S

DATE

TIME

WEATHE
R

SPECIE
S

SE
X

AGE

VEG
DENSITY

HEIGHT

NN C

NNC
ANGLE

NN
H

NNH ANGLE

PB NUMBER

PB TYPE

LATENCY

A
D