(Lost or not? This Rufous Hummingbird visited Black Earth, WI this fall)
This super-cool story is just one example of why I think bird banding is a worthwhile endeavor. Are vagrant hummingbirds lost or not? Perhaps only #Y14855 knows for sure, but it sure seems like "Perdita", a female Rufous Hummingbird, has her migration strategy nailed down. First banded in 2003, she was recaptured in 2004 and now once again this winter at Hilton Pond Center. How many of us would love to know if certain birds spending winter at our backyards are the same ones from year to year? Here are some incredible photographs and data of such a case that's much more than just an interesting story.
Link: Perdita: the "Lost" Rufous Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird image © 2005 Michael McDowell