Banded Female PM

BumBee · Mon Mar 07, 2011 1:02 pm

06MAR2011 – Blue Skies – 69F
I took some photos and to my surprise, a banded female is taking residence at my site .
I did not see any marking on the band.

Can anyone tell me more about this band?

Louise Chambers · Mon Mar 07, 2011 1:09 pm

No markings of any kind, and the lack of a federal band on the other leg, means this is probably an illegal band. It won't provide any information to anyone. You could contact USFWS about it - they might want to look into who is putting bands on without a permit.

Tim Mangan-Kansas · Mon Mar 07, 2011 1:42 pm

I agree with Louise. Appears to be a plastic open ended band without any letters/numbers. The sad part is, whoever placed the band on the martin, did not even use the correct size band. In the second photo, provided the picture is not distored, you can see how much open space there is between the inside edge of the band and martins leg. It appears this band is large enough to slip down over the foot and possibly keep the martin from being able to open her foot to perch.

Tim

BumBee · Mon Mar 07, 2011 1:51 pm

Tim,
Pictures have not been touched. The second photo is zoomed in from the
original photo and screen captured.

Would it be a good idea to remove the band?

Tom Teague · Mon Mar 07, 2011 2:06 pm

Why would anyone go to the trouble to place an unmarked band on the PM...doesn't tell anybody anything...are they trying to ID one of their birds to see if it comes back to their colony.

Linda Reynolds · Mon Mar 07, 2011 2:19 pm

Tom, your thoughts were the same as mine.............I think someone placed this *band* on the bird simply so they could see if she returned to their site.

Nanette · Mon Mar 07, 2011 2:55 pm

The fact that there is no federal band indicates that the yellow (poorly fitting) band was put on illegally. I agree, it was probably put on so that someone could see if their martins were returning. Several requirements must be met in order to qualify for banding permit. Among them are: a valid reason to band (a scientific proposal), training, and references. Both a state and federal permit are required. The stringent requirements are put in place so we don't have untrained people out there putting on poorly fitting bands which can trap or maim our precious birds!!

Tim Mangan-Kansas · Mon Mar 07, 2011 5:00 pm

To capture the female and remove the band is a tough call. Just as there are special pliers to put a band on, there are special tools to remove a band. For someone to try to remove the band who is not trained in banding, it would be quite possible to cause injury to the martin, including breaking the leg. You could contact your local USFWS and forward the same picture to them for their review. If this female stays at your site to nest this season, you could easily trap her and have a licensed bander there at the time of trapping. He/she could remove the band in a matter of seconds. I would not recommend anyone who does not have the proper training to try and remove the band.

Tim

JamesG · Mon Mar 07, 2011 5:33 pm

BumBee,
What kind of metal object is she sitting on?
Is this, yet again, something else I should make or have????

James

Nanette · Mon Mar 07, 2011 8:35 pm

Tim, I couldn't agree with you more!! I have seen very experienced banders break legs when trying to remove a band. Bird legs are very fragile as is the thorax area.

BumBee · Mon Mar 07, 2011 8:51 pm

Tim,
Capturing the female PM is not a big deal at all. Removing the plastic could be a job
for the pros. With that in mind, I will just leave this female alone. It does not look
like it is bothered by the band and I do not think the band is hurting the PM.

The upside on this, I can see next year if it comes back.

JamesG,
I made those from a vinyl coated 2”x3” wire mesh. The thin diamond pattern screens are
plastic that are used to prevent gutter from filling up with leaves.

Robbo · Mon Mar 07, 2011 9:05 pm

Bumbee,
Very nice and close up pictures! Nice set up.
Rob.

JamesG · Tue Mar 08, 2011 6:27 am

Thanks BumBee,
The picture is neat. I never saw a set up like this before.
Thats one of the great things about this forum. You see a lot of innovative ideas.
James

BumBee · Tue Mar 08, 2011 8:18 am

Guys, thank you.
After ten years of tinkering with my PM housing, I finally realized the original design I drawn ten years
ago. I first put six rooms on each pole and tinker with them some more. This year I decided to make
12 more rooms and they are up as well. If the PMs get used to my new 12 rooms and new Tunnel
Starling Resistant Entrances, I will modify this old 12 room to function and to look like my new 12
room set up. I may add 12 more rooms if all goes well with the new 12 room set up. As of today there
are two pairs that have taken residence.

The material I used for my PM housing is pre-painted flat aluminum that is used for extruding gutters.

This set up has been up for the past ten years and never been taken down and put away for the off
season.

This photo is from day one.

Gobbler T · Tue Mar 08, 2011 8:38 am

BumBee,
They look good! I take it that you have your own metal break?
My boss has a break & I have often thought about constructing my own house.
Metal just takes a little more forethought as for connecting folds, but I think it would be fun.

BumBee · Tue Mar 08, 2011 9:07 am

GoblerT,
Ten years ago I did not have the 24 inch pan break I have today. This tool made sharper and more precise
bends compared to the two pieces of flat aluminum, clamps and hammer I use ten years ago. I used a 24
inch paper cutter (guillotine) to cut the aluminum material.

I used rivets to put the houses together including mounting the brackets to the elevator body. Not a
single screw was used in the assembly of this set-up. I also used a scroll saw to cut the odd shape
cut outs for the piece that holds the TSRE.

TX Rehabber · Tue Mar 08, 2011 8:08 pm

As a rehabber, I would strongly suggest that you contact a local rehabber or bander in your area and have the band removed. We have seen the damage done by illegal bands on birds. They have been found hanging by their leg between fence pickets, small tree branches ,small pieces of wire and entangled in nesting material. Usually their leg has been badly mangled beyond repair or de-gloved (all skin removed).

Joe Zorn · Tue Mar 08, 2011 9:58 pm

This tag is a small portion of a standard clip on wire marker used for identifying wiring in junction boxes. If you look at the first pic posted above, you can see a split in the pvc on the backside.

It just clips on by spreading the opening and slipping over the wire. Very easy to remove as well. But humans tend to underestimate their strength in relation to a bird's leg strength. A broken leg could easily be acomplished simply by holding the leg too tight while removing the clip.

Leave it to the rehabbers, as Penny says.

Tony · Wed Mar 09, 2011 10:31 pm

Hey Bumbee

Any follow up info on that Brad Biddle trap that you built? Is it catching a lot of sparrows?

BumBee · Thu Mar 10, 2011 8:01 am

Tony,
I have taken down a couple of male sparrows hanging around the PM
housing. I have not seen any sparrows at my backyard since.

The Brad Biddle Traps have not caught a single sparrow. I am waiting
till it gets a little warmer or when the sparrows fledge their young.

In a way it is good for the PMs and in another way it is bad for I want to
see those traps perform.