The Cornell Lab Bird Academy › Discussion Groups › Community Forum › History of a Banded Bird

    • TPW
      Participant
      Chirps: 10
      I was wondering if anyone knows how to get the history on a banded bird? I found out where to report it at least for North America and I understand that if I had the correct ID info, I’ll eventually get a report back that tells me where it was banded and where it’s been but I was wondering if there are other resources that can tell me that without submitting a report mostly because I’m anxious to know vs waiting 2-4 weeks or longer. The website for reporting for North America is here: https://www.fws.gov/birds/surveys-and-data/bird-banding/reporting-banded-birds.php
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    • Lee Ann van Leer
      Moderator
      Chirps: 112
      Hello Tom, When you report a bird that was banded in USA at the Report a Band website they also typically send you a certificate of appreciation along with whatever history they have on that particular bird. It seems you are aware of that avenue and yes it can take quite some time to hear back. Depending on the species and where it was banded you can sometime do some online sleuthing on your own to try to figure out what banding station it was banded at or if it was banded as part of a specific research project. Birds that have wing tags, color markers, neck collars, or leg flags are easier to figure out online where they might have been tagged. Thanks for reporting the band as that information will make it back to the person or organization that banded it. Bird Banding Lab band reporting website but this is the page to report banded or marked birds.  Report a Band