Bird Banding Lab

Master banders can request the reactivation of an inactive banding permit at any time.

The USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center's Bird Banding Lab (BBL), not only supplies bands and manages the banding data on a national level, but also has a bird banding station of its very own. The fall migration monitoring station has a long history at the Patuxent Research Refuge. Since 1979, a small area has been utilized as a mist net site and banding station in a unique habitat under the...

Most bands are made of an aluminum alloy and have unique numbers engraved. These numbers can wear off with time to the point that one number, a few numbers, or the whole band becomes illegible. The time for a bird band to wear off depends on the amount of time that bird species spends in the water and its habits. For instance, a band on a Mallard may wear off one number in 6 to 8 years, while a...

Most of the bands found on birds other than federal bands and auxiliary markers should not be reported to the Bird Banding Laboratory. The exception are bands from foreign banding schemes. Foreign and other bands are listed here with a general indication of where they can be reported.

Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL) permits may be inactivated under a variety of circumstances. If a bander shows no activity under their permit for a period of three years, their permit may be inactivated for an indefinite period until they need to band birds.

Requests for sub-permitees need to be made by the master Bander.

Swab sampling is a standard method in avian disease surveillance. Oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs are minimally invasive. Tracheal swabs, especially for smaller birds (passerines) are more invasive and may more often be performed on dead birds.

The Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL) can provide authorization to sample feathers collected from migratory birds captured for the purpose of banding and/or marking. If migratory birds are captured for the sole purpose of obtaining feather samples, then a Migratory Bird Collecting Permit from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) will be required.

Detailed information about the application process is found on the page with master banding permit application form and instructions . Please recognize that the new responsible individual must have sufficient banding experience to qualify for a master banding permit with the existing authorizations on the station permit.

The Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL) can provide authorization to collect blood samples only from migratory birds captured for the purpose of banding and/or marking. If migratory birds are captured for the sole purpose of obtaining blood samples, then a Migratory Bird Scientific Collecting Permit from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) will be required. Banders will not be considered for this...

A bander must obtain authorization from the Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL) before they start banding rehabilitated birds.

The Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL) will authorize the use auxiliary markers for projects that are well defined, set to be conducted, and have a start date within one year of the date the proposal is submitted. Note that a bander must have experience (or completed sufficient training) with the proposed auxiliary marking technique before the authorization will be granted.