How do I obtain a federal bird banding permit?
A Federal Bird Banding and Marking Permit is required whenever someone wants to place a bird band or any type of marker on a wild bird that is protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act or on a federally-protected bird that will be released into the wild. To obtain a permit, visit the General Permit Information webpage of the Bird Banding Laboratory.
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How can I get bird banding and encounter data from the Bird Banding Laboratory?
Banding and encounter data are available for research purposes. Individual banding data records exist electronically starting in 1960. Pre-1960 banding data are available only for birds that have been encountered. Individual encounter data are available from 1913. To make a data request go to the
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What functions are available in the Bander Portal for bird banders?
Use the Bander Portal to:
- View and update your contact information,
- List subpermittees, band inventory, and locations associated with your permit,
- Order bands and confirm bands as received,
- Request
I have a federal permit to band birds. How do I order bands?
If you already have a federal permit or sub permit to band birds, sign in to the Bander Portal to order bands and/or confirm bands as received.
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How do I submit bird banding and/or bird recapture data?
Bird banding and band recapture data from banding activities must be submitted to the Bird Banding Laboratory using Bandit, The Information Manager for Banding Operations. Bandit is desktop
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How do I renew or modify my existing federal bird banding permit?
To renew or make changes to existing bird banding permits, use the links below:
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What are the ethics and responsibilities of Bird Banders?
Bird banding has long been recognized as an important research tool that has substantially improved our understanding of many aspects of avian biology and provided critical information for the management and conservation of bird populations. It is normally safe when proper techniques and equipment are carefully employed by
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Does banding hurt birds?
No, banding does not hurt birds. When proper techniques and equipment are carefully employed, it’s a safe procedure for birds. Trained banders, who apply their expertise and thoughtfulness towards the health and well-being of the birds, follow strict procedures based on the
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How do I get a certificate of appreciation after reporting a banded bird?
Certificates of appreciation are given to people who have found birds with leg bands or color markers and reported them to the Bird Banding Laboratory through www.reportband.gov. Certificates are automatically generated when you report a bird and can be downloaded immediately after
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Who can band birds?
Because banding birds requires capturing the birds and handling them before the banding takes place, the banding of birds in the United States is controlled under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and requires a federal banding permit. Some states require a state
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I found (or killed) a bird with a band or color marker around its leg. What do I do?
Bird band information is an important tool that is used to monitor populations, set hunting regulations, restore endangered species, study effects of environmental contaminants, and address such issues as Avian Influenza, bird hazards at airports, and crop depredations.
The North American Bird Banding Program is
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The U.S. Geological Survey Bird Banding Laboratory: an integrated scientific program supporting research and conservation of North American birds
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL) was established in 1920 after ratification of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act with the United Kingdom in 1918. During World War II, the BBL was moved from Washington, D.C., to what is now the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (PWRC). The BBL issues permits and bands to permittees...
Smith, Gregory J.
The captured waterfowl are gently banded with a unique number that can be read if and when it is captured again.
Canada Goose with Leg Band and Neck Collar
Adult Iiwi being banded at Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge, Hawaii
USGS biologist places identification bands on the leg of a long-billed curlew as part of a study to estimate long-billed curlew abundance and density using unmanned aerial vehicles to conduct surveys at the Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility (NWSTF) in Boardman, OR.
by Susan Haig, Wildlife Ecologist
- Scientists are studying global migratory animal movements throughout their annual cycles to improve conservation efforts
- Changing climate conditions have accentuated this need, as species movements and their ranges are fluctuating every year
- Technology being used to study the migratory patterns ranges from leg bands to satellite telemetry and isotopic markers
- The USGS and the Smithsonian Institution have partnered to form the Migratory Connectivity Project to address this issue
New research indicates that birds are listening to the landscape to find their way
By Jon Hagstrum, Research Geophysicist
- For nearly 40 years, biologists have been unable to agree on how birds find their way over great distances during homing or migrational flights
- Do birds use their olfactory senses, the Earth's magnetic field, or low-frequency acoustic (infrasonic) signals to navigate by?
- New findings indicate that birds use infrasonic signals radiated from the land surface for navigational purposes during their journeys
- Perplexing behavior by birds observed during experimental releases can be readily explained by the influences of topography and atmospheric variations on the propagation of infrasound
As part of an annual statewide waterfowl banding effort, Iowa State Coop student Brad Heller holds a Canada Goose still while Iowa DNR wildlife biologist attaches a leg band to the bird, outside of Clear Lake. The project is aimed at providing information on population parameters, such as survival and harvest rates.
Aluminum band and one plastic colored leg bands in a Brown Pelican
