Hummingbird festivals offer an up close view of these amazing, tiny little birds as Vernon Kleen, Master Permit Bander and member of the IAS Board of Directors, captures and bands the birds during the festival.   

Banding helps determine how far into Mexico or Central America the birds go for the winter, where they stop during their travels, how long they live, and whether they come back to the same sites year after year. Kleen reports that birds banded in Illinois have been found in Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Texas.

Attendees at IAS Hummingbird Festivals “adopt” hummingbirds by making a $5 donation to the Illinois Audubon Society’s land acquisition fund; this fund is earmarked for the protection of Illinois wildlife habitat. Donors will receive an attractive, signed certificate, be given the privilege of releasing their adopted bird, and will be notified if their bird is ever recaptured.