Visit the Gorman Discovery Center to learn about the birds you enjoy watching

Kansas City, Mo. – Dig deeper into knowledge about birds commonly seen in winter and you’ll find a fascinating array of physical traits and habits. Get an up-close look at chickadees, cardinals, and woodpeckers when the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) offers a free Bird Banding and Backyard Bird Ecology event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 17, at the Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center in Kansas City.

Avian experts from the Missouri River Bird Observatory will set up mist nets in the courtyard near the Discovery Center’s feeder. Visitors can help hold and band birds that are netted. The birds are then released unharmed. Information from the banding and recovered bands goes into science databases that help ornithologists monitor wild bird populations and trends.

MDC staff will also be present to discuss the variety of adaptations that native birds have to successfully find food and cover during Missouri’s sometimes harsh autumn and winter seasons. This is a chance to ask questions and learn more about bird beaks, feet, colors, and how birds interact with natural habitats.

This program is open to all ages. Registration is not required. COVID-19 safety precautions will be observed. To learn more about the Gorman Discovery Center, visit https://mdc.mo.gov/discoverycenter.