Jill Shaffer beneath a Heligoland net in Kazakhstan

Jill Shaffer stands below Heligoland nets used to capture migrating birds for banding efforts at Chokpak Ornithological Station in Chokpak, Kazakhstan. Heligoland nets are installed on top of hills or mountains, where they act as funnels, directing birds into a cage. Researchers can attach leg bands to captured birds or collect feathers for stable isotope analysis to learn more about migration patterns and population dynamics.