Bird Banding Permit

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

Master banding permits are normally renewed for a 3-year period although shorter renewal cycles may be required at the discretion of the BBL. Sixty days before the banding permit will expire, the BBL will automatically send via email a renewal notification to the master bander. If the banding permit is not renewed, then another renewal notification will be sent by email 30 days before the permit...

A Federal Bird Banding and Marking Permit is required by the Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL) whenever someone wants to place a bird band or any type of marker on a wild bird protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act or on a Federally-protected bird that will be released into the wild.

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 U. S. Federal Bird Banding and Marking Permit. There is no fee for this permit. U.S. Federal Bird Banding and Marking Permits are valid for a period of 3 years. Some states require a state permit as...

Instructions in how to fill out the master banding permit

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.

Bird banders cannot legally band and/or mark any Federal Endangered or Threatened Species unless they have specific authorizations on their Federal Bird Banding and Marking Permit. Before the Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL) can issue an endangered species authorization, the bander must obtain an Endangered Species Section 10 Recovery Permit from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Banders...