A series documenting bird banding at the Long Point Bird Observatory by UK-born, Toronto-based photographer Finn O’Hara. Bird banding is a technique for studying and identifying birds. To keep track of individual birds, scientists use mist nets to capture the birds, and once collected, attach aluminum bands (engraved with a unique set of numbers) onto the birds’ legs. For this series, O’Hara worked with Birds Canada. Long Point Bird Observatory is renowned for migrating bird concentrations, it remains Canada’s most productive bird banding station, having banded 1,072,981 birds across 296 species since 1960.

“I’m drawn to bird banders not just for their bird care but also for the human connection they establish with each bird, driven by curiosity and compassion.”

See more images from “Bird in Hand” below.