Duck bands

[Anatidae]

Thanks for clearing that up, 'Webfoot'.

Birds of all kinds are banded at various sites all around the continent. Laurel Maryland is the location of the building that houses the bird banding laboratory.....the place where all the records are kept, and studied......kinda like your County Courthouse.

Bands have different agencies stamped on them. Some have "Write to: Bird Banding Laboratory, Laurel, MD" or (my favorite) "Avise Bird Band, Write Washington, DC, USA" or "Write: Bird Band US Fish & Wildlife Service, Laurel MD 20708 USA" or "Call 1-800-327-BAND or Write Bird Band, USF&WS, Laurel, MD 20708 USA, and so on. There are even some bands by Jack Miner that have verses of scripture on them (that's another story, though).

What is sad about the fella that thought his birds were banded in Laurel, MD, is that he obviously doesn't know how the banding program works. What's REALLY sad is that I never told him.....but I'm fixin' to. I'll send him a letter, right now.

When you kill a banded bird, you can call 1- 800-327-BAND, give'em the band number and answer the questions they ask like: your name, how and where you recovered the bird, etc. They will send you a certificate of appreciation for having provided this valuable recovery data and it'll tell you how old it was when it was banded (approximately), the sex, when and where it was banded. I could be wrong, but I don't think they actually band birds in Laurel. See, this guy just thought 'cause that was what was stamped on his bands, he figured that's where they were banded. [img]images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]

For more info about banding go to deltaduckhunter.com and scroll down the left side to Bird Banding Program...it's real informative.

[ January 25, 2002: Message edited by: Anatidae ]

[WNE Driver]

Great story Anatidae.
Nice to see you and your wife share the same passion. [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

Mine shops...and she is damn good at it...too good at times! [img]images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img]

One of the local conservation groups around here used to realease "wild" mallards in an attempt to develop a resident population. They would release a few thousand banded birds a year. The band had IDFF (Illinois Ducks For the Future) and an address on it. Most folks called em Illinois Ducks For the Freezer cause they was none too blind shy, call shy, people shy! LMAO They was some stupid ducks...

[H2OFowl]

(picking myself up off the floor from laughin soooo hard @ "survivors") I wonder if they carry all those birds back to the duck factory in trucks, trains or airplanes. I would think it would be more economical to band them up there, than to truck them all the way from Laurel MD. Next Laurel band killed around me they're gonna wonder why I fall out laughin'. If they have that many ducks in Laurel. I'm gonna see about buyin some huntin ground up there.

I consider it an honor to be included in your article. Thanks. I guess that explains why witness protection was wanting to move me sooooo bad. hehehe

[SHAG]

I have heard the same thing about the 100 bird deal..but I've been huntin' since the ole days of lead...I passed the 100bird mark a long time ago and I've yet to get a band....except for geese...only killed 3 or 4, one of which was banded.

[tknight]

Thanks for clearing that up for me [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

[strongriverducker]

Ikilled my first band two days ago in the MS delta. Iy was a female widgon. The writing was wore off and you could hardy see the numbers. I can't wait to see the birds age.

[Anatidae]

Congratulations!! [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]....it's a thrill, isn't it? 'Don't hear of too many banded wigeons.....neat! [img]images/smiles/icon_cool.gif[/img]

If you're not sure of the numbers, send the band to Bird Banding Lab, Laurel MD, 20708. They use a technique called 'etching' to retrieve the numbers.....even if it's worn slick. [img]images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img] They do this quite often, every year, and they'll return your band to you.

For more info on banding and the 'Lab' go to PWRC.NBS.GOV

Hey, how come I can't get my URL's to appear in pretty blue letters? (This is a 'help' question....not a solicitation for diagnoses of mental disorders.

[ January 26, 2002: Message edited by: Anatidae ]

[goosebruce]

Damn MSB, you posed to know bout numbers, and you ask a darn fool question like... ( I always wondered how they could look at a field and tell the number of ducks, and how many of each species.. ). Its easy. You count the feet and divide by 2!

Actually, the guys that do those surveys are GOOD. very good. You dont want to aruge with one bout whats belly up in the decoys after a snap shot swing through gig. Lost a mexican lunch that way one day. This dude die surveys from freggin ass airboats, and at NIGHT. And i thought I was good at iding ducks!

Dont take a rocket scientist to tell Ive got 95% pintails at the moment. Heard a duck actually quack this morning, and we all got scared! travis

[ILGreenhead]

WNE Driver: I have a tid bit for you at the IL page of the Refuge about IVDFF mallards.

And yes, I've taken a few of those Laurel, MD birds all the way over here in North-central IL. [img]images/smiles/icon_razz.gif[/img] [img]images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img] [img]images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

I don't even call em in anymore, because I know once the BBL in Laurel releases those birds they are gonna fly right to my hole on the IL River Valley. hahahahahaha [img]images/smiles/icon_razz.gif[/img]

[captain duck]

Congrats on the banded widgeon.I have been fortunate to have harvested 31 bands in this my 40th season including one this year.I killed 3 banded drakes of different species one afternoon in 1999. I have been present when other hunters have killed 50 or more bands. I have never seen or heard of a banded widgeon. This is a real rarity. Sounds like he is a very old bird. My oldest was nine years. Thanks for reporting all banded birds everyone.