Three billion, that’s how many birds the United States and Canada have lost since 1970. That decline shows up among threatened species as well as among birds we might find in our backyards like sparrows or woodpeckers. One way scientists track the size and health of bird populations is through bird banding and that’s the focus of this episode of Stats and Stories with guest Dave RusselOur guest today is Dave Russell.  Russell is an Associate Teaching Professor in Miami University’s Department of Biology and co-founder of the Avian Research and Education Institute. He’s also a master bird bander, which means he can work with federally protected birds and train others to become bird banders.