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Bird Bands and Rings

Many countries around the world operate bird-banding or ringing schemes. These schemes provide valuable information about wild birds, and what they do:

How long do birds live in the wild?
What are their habitat requirements?
Where do they go on migration?

Bird bands are metallic rings or coloured plastic bands. An individual bird may be fitted with more than one band on each leg. Each band may carry a code or reference number which will enable researchers to identify when and where the bird was originally captured.

Sometimes it is possible to read the band numbers of wild birds by using binoculars… though this will require a good eye and plenty of patience!

In most cases, bird bands will be found on dead birds, along a roadside, in a forest, or washed up on the shore. The information carried by the band is still just as important.

Make a note of the details on the bands, along with details of the date and location of your find, and forward them to the link below, the USGS Bird Banding Laboratory. In return you should receive a certificate identifying your bird, and telling you how old you bird is and where it came from.

You may be surprised at the results – Click here to view a sample certificate:

birdband.jpgTo learn more about bird banding, or to report a bird band which you have found, click the USGS icon or call 1-800-327-BAND.