Bird banding activities began at Rushton Woods Preserve in late fall of 2009 with funds donated by the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club.

Since that time, thousands of birds have been documented by our banding team, revealing a vibrant, thriving population of birds that use our open spaces as an important stopover during migration or as a permanent home for their breeding and nesting sites.

Located within an 86-acre nature preserve and adjacent to Rushton Farm, the banding station is uniquely sited to measure bird populations' response to agroecological farming practices and habitat restoration and management.


Join Us for Bird Banding at Rushton Woods Preserve!
Thousands of visitors, school students, college students and grad students visit or conduct research at the Rushton Woods Preserve banding station annually.  Its unique site within an 86-acre nature preserve and adjacent to the sustainable farming operation at Rushton Farm offers a remarkable opportunity to measure birds' response to our land protection, habitat restoration and sustainable farming activities.

Teaching children and adults the value of conservation, the importance of preserving open space, and the value and use of scientific research skills are the passions that we strive to share with all of the participants that visit our bird banding station.

You are invited to visit the Trust's bird banding station where you can observe all phases of bird banding research including:

setting up and taking down mist-nets
taking birds from nets
identifying, aging and sexing each bird
weighing and measuring birds
documenting research into the federal data bank
documenting with photography
Coordinated by Lisa Kiziuk and led by Doris McGovern, both federally and state licensed bird banders, our staff invite you to visit the station during the season to observe our avian research program.

Park in the Rushton Woods Preserve parking lot, located at the southeast corner of Goshen and Delchester Roads, with the entrance on Delchester Road. Walk towards the hedgerows opposite the parking lot and follow the path to the right which eventually turns left and cuts through the hedgerow. Take the left path and follow until you see our banding station.

Our banding program runs Tuesday and Thursday of every week during spring migration (April - May) and fall migration (September - November) as weather permits - we don't band if it rains or if temperatures fall below 40 degrees.  Although the nets are set 45 minutes before sunrise, visitors wishing to see the most birds should arrive no later than 8 am. Action is often constant until about 11 am, after which the nets are closed.