A chance discovery in January 2019 turned a tragic owl tale into a cherished keepsake. While exploring our front yard, we found a bird band attached to leg bones – likely from an owl pellet. Reporting the band to USGS revealed it belonged to an Eastern Screech Owl, banded locally. The band now lives on as my necklace, a unique piece of jewelry with a remarkable story. As part of the North American Bird Banding Program, which has tracked over 60 million birds since 1904, this small metal band represents both scientific research and a personal connection to wildlife conservation.

When I told friends and family that it was a total coincidence that my trip plans were taking me to the site of the rarest