Encounter Data Codes and Descriptions
These codes appear in the encounter records for data retrievals as well as the Report to the Banders.
A Report to Bander is emailed to the bander when there is an encounter report for a bird they banded. Two files are sent, a .pdf file that includes basic encounter information and a .tab file that contains all information from the finder in a form that can be imported into various computer programs.
Most data files provided by the BBL will have column titles matching the FIELD column below.
For those fields that are populated by codes, links are provided to the pages with the code translations.
FIELD |
Description (if necessary) | |
| B_AGE_CODE | ||
| B_REGION | 2-digit "Region" code of banding (not including flyway) | |
| B_BAND_NUM | The federal (metallic) band number | |
| B_BAND_SIZE_CODE | ||
| B_BAND_STATUS_CODE | ||
| B_BAND_TYPE_CODE | ||
| B_BIRD_STATUS | ||
| B_COMMENTS | Comments added to the banding record by the BBL | |
| B_COORD_PRECISION | Level of precision of coordinates given for banding location -- 10' block, 1' block or exact | |
| B_DIRECTION_CODE | (Quarter of the Earth) Only needed with B LAT and B LON | |
| B_EXTRA_INFO_CODE | ||
| B_FLYWAY_CODE | ||
| B_HOW_AGED_CODE | ||
| B_HOW_SEXED_CODE | ||
| B_LAT_10_MIN_BLK | For banding location: BBL-style 10' block designation (latitude) | |
| B_LAT_DECIMAL_DEGREES | For banding location: Decimal degrees (latitude). Note the coordinate precision. | |
| B_LON_10_MIN_BLK | For banding location: BBL-style 10' block designation (longitude) | |
| B_LON_DECIMAL_DEGREES | For banding location: Decimal degrees (longitude). Note the coordinate precision. | |
| B_AUX_MARKER | A coded description of any auxiliary markers | |
| B_PERMIT_NUM | Permit number of bander | |
| B_REMARKS | Additional remarks from bander | |
| B_REWARD_BAND_NUM | The reward band number (if present) | |
| B_SEX_CODE | ||
| B_SPECIES_ID | "AOU" or "SPECIES" number of bird | |
| BANDING_DATE | Full banding date (MM-DD-YY) | |
| BANDING_DAY | Day of month banded | |
| BANDING_MONTH | Month of year banded | |
| BANDING_YEAR | Year bird was banded | |
| B_MARKER_LONG_DESC | Full translated auxilliary marker information | |
| B_SPECIES_NAME |
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| E_REGION | 2-digit "Region" code of encounter (not including flyway) | |
| E_CERTIFICATE_FLAG | Did finder request a certificate? | |
| E_CERTIFICATE_LANGUAGE | Language of certificate to be issued to finder | |
| E_COMMENTS | Comments added to the encounter record by the BBL | |
| E_COORD_PRECISION | Level of precision of coordinates given for encounter location -- 10' block, 1' block or exact | |
| E_COUNTRY_CODE | Country code for country reported ("FIPS" code) | |
| E_COUNTY_CODE | County code for county of town reported ("FIPS" code) | |
| E_CREATE_DATE | Full date (MM/DD/YY) encounter record was created in BBL | |
| E_CREATE_MONTH | Month of year encounter record was created in BBL | |
| E_CREATE_YEAR | Year encounter record was created in the BBL | |
| E_DIRECTION_CODE | (Quarter of the Earth) Only needed with B LAT and B LON | |
| E_DIRECTION1 | Direction of encounter location from town | |
| E_DIRECTION2 | Second direction of encounter location from town (when 2 cardinal directions are used) | |
| E_ENC_COUNTY_ORIGINAL | County code for county in which bird/band was encounterd (as reported by finder) | |
| E_FLYWAY_CODE | ||
| E_HOW_OBTAINED_CODE | Numeric code for how bird/band was obtained | |
| E_HOW_OBTAINED_DESC | Further description of how bird/band was obtained | |
| E_LAT_10_MIN_BLK | For encounter location: BBL-style 10' block designation (latitude) | |
| E_LAT_DECIMAL_DEGREES | For encounter location: Decimal degrees (latitude). Note the coordinate precision. | |
| E_LOCATION_DESCRIPTION | Description of location reported by finder | |
| E_LON_10_MIN_BLK | For encounter location: BBL-style 10' block designation (longitude) | |
| E_LON_DECIMAL_DEGREES | For encounter location: Decimal degrees (longitude). Note the coordinate precision. | |
| E_MARKER_CODE_COLOR_ID | Numeric code describing color of code on auxiliary marker as reported by finder | |
| E_MARKER_COLOR_ID | Numeric code describing color of auxiliary marker as reported by finder | |
| E_MARKER_DESC | Actual code on auxiliary marker as reported by finder | |
| E_MARKER_REF_ID | Internal identification number given to auxiliary marker only reports | |
| E_AUX_MARKER | Description of auxiliary marker as reported by finder | |
| E_AUX_MARKER_CODE | Numeric code describing type of auxiliary marker as reported by finder | |
| E_MILES1 | Mileage from encounter location town | |
| E_MILES2 | Second mileage from encounter location town | |
| E_PLACE_NAME | Place reported by finder | |
| E_PRESENT_CONDITION_CODE | Present condition of the bird as reported by finder | |
| E_REMARKS | Additional remarks by the finder | |
| E_SPECIES_NAME | Species as reported by finder | |
| E_STATE_CODE | "FIPS" state code of encounter | |
| E_WHO_OBTAINED_CODE | Who obtained the bird/band | |
| E_WHY_REPORTED_CODE | Reporting method | |
| ENCOUNTER_DATE (may be inexact date) |
Full encounter date (MM/DD/YYYY), may be inexact date (records with month >12 or day > 31) | |
| ENCOUNTER_DAY | Day of month encountered | |
| ENCOUNTER_MONTH | Month of year encountered | |
| ENCOUNTER_YEAR | Year encountered | |
| E_MARKER_LONG_DESC |
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| HSS | Hunting Season Survied. Approximate age of the bird at the time it was encountered | |
| MIN AGE AT ENC | Minimum age at encounter. The decimal value translates to years and months (e.g. 12.25 = 12 years 3 months) | |
| ORIGINAL_BAND | Original band number if there was multiple bands applied to the bird | |
| Other Bands | Additional or replaced band(s) |
