How To Request Banding Data

Please provide the following information when requesting data from the Bird Banding Laboratory.

• A justification or need for use of the data.
• Which files are to be used - Encounter Retrieval File, Banding Retrieval File, or both.
• Type of encounter data required (recovery, foreign retrap, or return). The Encounter File contains only selected returns (retraps in the same 10-minute block) since 1958.
• Species, age, and sex.
• Area, (State and/or Province plus latitude-longitude if necessary) and time period involved.
• How obtained codes desired (shot, found dead, etc.).
• Status and additional information codes desired (normal wild, hand-reared, etc.).
• Permit number
• Your name, address, and a daytime telephone number, as well as your banding permit number, if applicable.

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