Banded Birds Question - Please help!!

Guest · Wed Apr 05, 2006 11:33 am

Okay, I've decided that trying to read a band with a scope is more frustrating than waiting around for a human-shy sparrow to show himself for a clear shot.

I know some will think I'm nuts or don't know what I'm doing, but I swear today (and maybe only for today) I have 2 different ASY banded males at my place. One is skinny and the other regular sized. Also one has downy feathers hanging low on his left leg and the other does not. Mainly, it looks like two different types of bands - both aluminum though.

I can see the numbers, but I need help. What do the digits on these bands look like and how many digits total? I can't find a clear picture on the net.

Band 1: It looks like this band has just one row of numbers and this particular band ends with a 7. The band isn't turning on his leg, so all I can see for now is a 7.

Band 2: It looks like there is a double row of numbers - one on top of the other. I saw an 8 (if this is an 1-800-number I'm going to go crazy). This band looks older maybe and is harder to read.

Am I dreaming things up here or do some bands just have one row of numbers and some have two? I'm starting to think I've just worn my eyesight out trying to get these numbers today and now I'm beginning to see things.

HELP!

Thanks bunches,

Shel

Guest · Wed Apr 05, 2006 11:37 am

BTW, I have a SY male at my site today (Allen, TX) but I'm not going to say it is offical until I witness him singing. He may have just been visiting b/c I haven't seen him with the other PMs in about an hour. His head/top chest was very dark compared to the females and he had about 3 purple feathers on his chest.

Cheers!

Shel

Louise Chambers · Wed Apr 05, 2006 11:48 am

Shelley, this pdf of article about banding has photos of two types of bands, aluminum (the standard band provided by FWS and every banded martin will have one) and plastic color bands, with alphanumerals. some color bands are metal instead of plastic.

http://www.purplemartin.org/update/BandingPM11(3).pdf

If a martin has a color band on one leg it will have an aluminum FWS band on the other leg. Or it may have only one band, the aluminum band. Alum. bands have two rows of numbers, one over the other, and are not easy to read. the color bands are easier to read, most will have a series of 1 to 3 digits and may also have a letter, like T, for example - after the number series. Yes, waiting for the band to rotate so you can read the numbers can take a while - don't get a kink in your neck! reading bands at about 30X or so works best for me. good luck and thank you for putting in such an effort to read the bands. Banding martins yields the most data when landlords such as yourself put in the time and effort to read and report the band numbers. The alum bands, I forgot to say, can be different sizes, and that might be what you are seeing. Larger band size is what we're using in Corpus, San Antonio, and in Port O Connor. I don't know what size Jim Ray uses, or others banding in TX, but maybe they will comment. PMCA has used the smaller size alum. band in PA and other areas.

Louise

Guest · Wed Apr 05, 2006 12:12 pm

Ms. Chambers, will partial or incomplete information from the bands do any good?

Louise Chambers · Wed Apr 05, 2006 12:31 pm

I would say no, especially if you are talking about an aluminum band, which contains about 9 digits. With a color band, knowing color, type (plastic or metal) and some digits might help narrow it down to which bander marked the bird - but not necessarily.

Colonies that have banded birds nesting will have a fairly good amount of time to try and read bands. Some banded birds, though, may just be passing through.

Louise

(Ms. Chambers? never! Louise is just fine

)

Guest · Wed Apr 05, 2006 12:48 pm

Thanks, Louise. Your info helps a bunch. I'm going to tackle this like it is only the one PM since he seems to like to fly to the same perch almost every time. Once I get this number, I'll look around to see if I have 2.

The band is on his right leg. There is only the aluminum band. He doesn't have a colored band at all. This aluminum band has 2 rows of digits. Here is what I have so far:

?801
????7

I looked at the gov website bands, and it looks like they have tiny type (like an 1-800-number) above the main row of digits and a row of tiny type below - that leaves 3 rows of numbers. There is a slim chance that if I have a second PM, I'm looking at one of these bands maybe and just can't read the super-tiny type. I don't know.

I'm commited now. I'll keep on trying to read the thing. Do or Die!!!!

Thanks, again,

Shel

Guest · Wed Apr 05, 2006 12:52 pm

P.S. Thank goodness this guy has a mate and is nesting here or I'd never get the number.

Guest · Wed Apr 05, 2006 1:12 pm

Now that I know what I'm looking at, it is getting easier...

?801
???57 (maybe ??157)

Guest · Wed Apr 05, 2006 1:20 pm

Good luck shelley,dont get crosseyed staring at that band

Rod

Guest · Wed Apr 05, 2006 1:28 pm

Too late!!!

Shel

Guest · Wed Apr 05, 2006 1:50 pm

It can happen

i know last year my eyes got tired of trying to read them..patience helps...lord knows i need it

Rod

Guest · Wed Apr 05, 2006 6:53 pm

Shel, when you get yours read, you can come read mine!! Bring your scope, I'll supply the Martin!!

Chuck

Guest · Wed Apr 05, 2006 7:44 pm

Sure, Chuck. No problem. I'll be staying at your house for about a week. That's about how long it's going to take me to read all my ASY's numbers.

Jim Ray · Wed Apr 05, 2006 8:33 pm

Good luck on reading the number. Concerning the 1-800 number, you have to have the band in hand, and the phone number is stamped on the inside.

I use the larger of the two sizes approved for martins.

Guest · Wed Apr 05, 2006 8:59 pm

I'll go ahead and clean up the spare bedroom. Did you want lunch and dinner also?

Chuck

Guest · Wed Apr 05, 2006 10:55 pm

Thanks, Jim. My eyes must have been playing tricks on me. It's probably just the one PM I'm seeing. I only have 10 PMs so far.

Good to know that 1-800-number is on the inside. I'd laugh my head off if I spent days trying to read a phone number I've already found over the net thanks to PMCA. I'm guessing here, but this band looks pretty big on his leg. Could be one of the larger bands. I'll keep trying to read it tomorrow. I've got about half the numbers now.

Chuck, you supply the beer and I'm good to go!

Cheers!

Shel

Guest · Thu Apr 06, 2006 9:46 am

Shelley now drinking beer and lookin thru a scope you might just fall over

Rod

Guest · Thu Apr 06, 2006 10:01 am

RHOLLIS wrote:Shelley now drinking beer and lookin thru a scope you might just fall over

Rod

Never thought about that. Drinking beer always seems to help when I shoot pool! And here I thought I maybe had 2 banded PMs when I probably only have the one. Come to find out, there's a chance that's due to the drinkin' too!

Shel

Kyle Gregoire · Thu Apr 06, 2006 10:43 pm

Does anybody know if it is possible to take a digital picture with a telephoto lens and then use the digital function to zoom in on the numbers of a banded bird?

Guest · Thu Apr 06, 2006 11:04 pm

Kyle Gregoire wrote:Does anybody know if it is possible to take a digital picture with a telephoto lens and then use the digital function to zoom in on the numbers of a banded bird?

It's possible I woud assume, but I don't think anybody has done it. I did try it with my regular digital camera and it didn't work, but that was due to the type of camera I was using at the time. It would be interesting to find out if t could be done.

Shel