photos left to right: 1) a person looks through binoculars in the mountains, 2) a Lazuli Bunting on a branch, 3) female MacGillivray's Warbler

UM Bird Ecology Lab (UMBEL)

Songbird Banding Stations

Our songbird banding stations are open to the public in the summer! Join us to see some of Montana’s most beautiful animals up close while learning about scientific data collection, the importance of riparian habitat, bird behavior, and ecology. We regularly work with campers,  birders, and groups from  and  to provide a unique glimpse into the world of biology. 

A group visits the banding station photographed from above.

Summer Banding Schedule

We band at three locations throughout the summer - at Five Valleys property at the confluence of Rock Creek and the Clark Fork River, at Grant Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site in Deer Lodge, and at MPG Ranch in the Bitterroot. Both our Rock Creek site and the Grant Kohrs site are open to the public and no reservation is needed for small groups. Our MPG Ranch site is on private property - please contact us if you would like to visit this site.

See the table below for our banding dates for summer 2026.

A close-up of a person holding a Black-headed Grosbeak, with a group of people blurred in the background.

Rock Creek

MPG Ranch

Grant Kohrs

Date TBD

Dates TBD

Dates TBD
     
     
     
     
     
     

In addition to these dates, we also host extra banding demonstrations in collaboration with local organizations.

This year's extra banding demos are:

  • Milltown State Park - Date TBD. 
  • Upper Clark Fork Superfund Bird Tour - Date TBD.

For more information about these special events, contact education and outreach coordinator Boo Curry at laurelann.curry@mso.umt.edu.

Visitation Guidelines

We love human visitors of all kinds: bring your kids, come with a friend, or stop by on your own! A few things to keep in mind when visiting our operations:

  • We ask that visitors stay no more than 2 hours per session to allow our banders to stay focused and attend equally to the other guests.
  • If you intend to visit with a large and/or organized group, please contact us in advance so that we may best facilitate and curate your experience.
  • For the safety of the birds, we do not allow dogs/pets at the station.
  • Our MPG Ranch site in particular is by appointment only and is generally reserved for organized groups; please contact us for guidance on visiting this site.
  • In addition to our regular stations, we host an annual, open-to-the-public banding demonstration at Milltown State Park every summer.

Banding Station Directions

Grant-Kohrs Ranch NHS
Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site is located at the north end of Deer Lodge. From I-90, take exit 184 and head West toward the town of Deer Lodge. At 1⁄2 mile from the highway, turn right (West) into the main parking lot of Grant-Kohrs Ranch. To get to the banding station from the parking lot: Follow the paved foot trail out to the main ranch area and take a left after passing the ranch house, then follow the gravel road toward the open field and then west to the Clark Fork River. Follow this road toward the river and look for the bird banding station on the right, after crossing the 2nd bridge. The walk from the parking lot to the banding station takes about 15 minutes. If you have arranged a time with us for your visit, wait in the parking area, and one of our staff will meet you and lead you out to the banding station.


Rock Creek Confluence Property
From Missoula, drive 20 miles east on I-90 and take exit 126 for Rock Creek. From the exit ramp, take a right, drive over the overpass, turn left on Lazy Water Wy., and park in the small parking lot on the left. Walk through the wooden gate on the left side of the green road gate and walk approximately 1⁄2 mile eastward on the north of two parallel roads. As you are walking along the road, the river will be on the left-hand side. You will cross through another gate which will be open, and we will be just up the road to the east.


MPG Ranch *by appointment only, please contact Boo Curry
From Missoula, drive south on Hwy 93 until you reach the only traffic light in Florence. Turn East (left), onto the Eastside Highway/State Highway 203. Travel 1.6 miles, crossing the Bitterroot River. At the traffic circle, take the second exit onto 8 Mile Creek Road for 0.2 miles. The road bends to the north and turns into 8 Mile Creek Rd/Lower Woodchuck Road. Continue traveling north for 0.75 miles. Go straight through the intersection with a 4-way stop; the road signs say Lower Woodchuck Road at this point. Continue following Lower Woodchuck Road north until you reach the locked gate. If you have scheduled an appointment, please wait near the locked gate at the designated time for someone to escort you to the banding site.