Barbara Patterson

Banded bird sits on Barbara's hand.

Kane Photos, The Bar Harbor Times

Quick Facts

Significance:

Citizen Scientist

Place of Birth:

Montclaire, NJ

Date of Birth:

1912

Date of Death:

October 17, 1991

Barbara Patterson was a citizen scientist who recorded over 23 years of bird banding data on Mount Desert Island. This data, held in Acadia National Park’s archives, is used for scientists to assess changes over time of bird behavior and activity. 

Barbara moved to Mount Desert Island in 1934, with her husband Robert, who took a job working as a landscape architect with the National Park Service. They were one of the many families who were impacted by the fire in 1947 that burned homes and scorched lands on the island. Their new home was built in the village of Somesville, which would eventually become Barbara’s hub for her bird banding operations. She held a lifelong passion for birds, as well as a general interest and knowledge for the natural world. Undoubtedly, these passions would inspire and energize those around her. 

In 1957, Barbara would apply for her federal bird-banding license with the US Fish and Wildlife Service. While she banded at different times of the year, she also participated in an international project, “Operation Recovery”, that provided information about fall migration of songbirds on the Atlantic coast. In 1968, Barbara as the only bird bander on Mount Desert Island, contributed 1,064 of the more than 100,000 birds total that were banded for the project. Data collected by Barbara and others helps scientists better understand bird migration. 

Barbara’s general method included the use of nylon mesh webs called Japanese mist nets. Once the birds were “netted”, she would tuck them into her specially designed apron featuring six individual pockets to keep birds calm and prevent escape as she went to work banding. Banding would include placing light aluminum bands with a serial number around the birds’ legs, and subsequently recording wing measurement, weight and time of capture. This work would cumulate to the banding of over 30,000 birds over her time as a citizen scientist.  

Through the years, Barbara was featured several times in local newspapers, interested in her expertise and personal experience with her projects. Along with details about her procedure and statistics, many of these features would included personal anecdotes from Barbara about her work. In an article from the Bar Harbor Times, Barbara is quoted as detailing that “it’s been a wonderful learning experience...I enjoy the opportunity to handle and examine the birds and still get excited when I receive a notice of bird sightings containing my bands.” 

Her archival collection at the park today features not only her bird-banding data but also letters and correspondence with renowned scientists and ornithologists. These pieces reflect her professionalism and esteem amongst the scientific community in her work, skills and knowledge. The community and park are fortunate to have women like Barbara that give their time for causes and resources they care about. 

References:

Spiker, LaRue. “Bird Banding On M.D.I. Is Both An Art And Vocation”. The Bar Harbor Times. 6 November 1958. 

Baker, Richard. “Mrs.Robert Patterson Has Netted And Banded Birds For Eleven Years on Mt.Desert”. The Ellsworth American. 2 October 1969. 

Kane, Marion. “Somesville Bander Puts Interest In Birds To Work.” The Bar Harbor Times. 21 August 1980. 

Lincoln, Nan. “Barbara Nesmith Patterson, 79, naturalist”. The Bar Harbor Times. 24 October 1991. 

Kozak, Anne. “Barbara Patterson’s Birds: A Lifetime Passion Leads To A Treasure of Data”. Friends of Acadia Journal. Summer 2015.