On Saturday, the Florida Museum of Natural History’s “Early Bird Gets the Band” event will take place at the Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery.

The event, presented in partnership with the University of Florida Bird Observatory, will run from 7:30 to 10 a.m. at 7204 SE County Road 234 in Gainesville.

Preregistration is required and tickets are $5. Sales end at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 25.

For more information or to sign up, visit www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/event/early-bird-gets-the-band-with-the-uf-bird-observatory-9-27-25.

The early-morning gathering will bring together trained ornithologists and bird enthusiasts to take part in live fieldwork. Participants will observe demonstrations of data collection, bird banding and bird capturing while learning about bird migration patterns, identification and conservation.

“Bird banding works like giving each bird its own name tag. Scientists carefully use a fine mesh net to catch a bird, place a small, numbered ring on its leg, jot down some information and gently let it go,” said Glaucia Del-Rio, the Florida Museum’s assistant curator of ornithology, in a press release. “All of that info powers smart conservation decisions such as protecting key migration routes, identifying populations that are declining or guiding regulations on land use.”

Del-Rio will be one of the scientists participating in the event, along with Charlie Muise, manager of the newly created UF Bird Observatory.

“Birds go to bed early and wake up early, too,” Del-Rio said. “The time just before and after sunrise is birdwatching gold: Birds are wide awake, singing energetically, hunting for breakfast and moving around more. Once the heat of the day settles in, especially in places like Florida, birds retreat to cool, shaded areas and stay mostly quiet.”

According to the release, bird banding has been federally regulated since the passage of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in 1918. Several states require individual permits to prove valid conservation purposes while demonstrating training and understanding of laws and regulations. The observatory seeks to train UF students on best practices to study birds ethically and on how to obtain their own permits for bird banding.

Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery does not have restrooms or seating, so attendees are encouraged to plan accordingly and are welcome to bring their own chairs. For more information on parking, visit its website.