Every summer, the serene mornings of Grand Teton National Park come alive with birdsong—and the quiet work of dedicated scientists gathering data for avian conservation. In 2024, the Grand Teton bird banding station continued its essential work monitoring songbirds as part of the continent-wide Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) program.
Songbirds are key indicators of environmental health. As migratory populations decline, the MAPS program, which has been active for over 30 years at 1,300+ sites, helps uncover why. By tracking bird survival, productivity, and shifts over time, scientists gain the data to guide smart, targeted conservation efforts.
The Grand Teton bird banding station stands out as one of the ten longest-running MAPS stations in the country, with continuous data collection since 1989. Thanks to robust, standardized protocols, researchers can track how local bird populations change year after year—and compare those trends with data across the continent. In 2024, the station operated weekly from June through August, continuing its long-standing summer schedule. Supported by the Grand Teton National Park Foundation and in partnership with the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation, the team was able to collect critical data on the timing, survival, and behavior of songbirds in response to environmental pressures.
The Foundation will continue to provide funding to enable songbird banding in Grand Teton this year. In partnership with the Teton Science Schools and Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation, 2025 will mark the station’s thirty-third year of operation in Grand Teton.