Aleesa Ejaz recovers a previously banded Yellow Warbler from the nets near the PIBO banding station on Pelee Island. Each day, the team sets up specialized, fine-mesh mist nets and checks them about every 30 minutes to safely capture songbirds. Trained handlers then record vital information, including mass and age, before releasing the birds with tiny ID bands. The data allows researchers to track population trends and migratory patterns, aiming for minimal disruption to the wildlife.
The Pelee Island Bird Observatory conducts bird migration research on the island—a critical stop on a major Lake Erie migratory route at Canada’s southernmost inhabited point. PIBO was co-founded by author Margaret Atwood and her late partner Graeme Gibson.
May 9, 2026
Melissa Tait/The Globe and Mail