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Banders soliciting reports from the public should identify the Bird Banding Laboratory, USGS-BRD, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD 20708-9619 as the address to which reports from the U.S. are sent, and the Canadian Wildlife Service, Bird Banding Office, Department of the Environment, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0H3 for observations in Canada. Banders may include their own address as long as all reports from the general public are sent to the Bird Banding Laboratory for processing as recoveries as well.
Banders authorized to mark birds are responsible for responding to sightings of the birds for the life of the markers. This may exceed the length of the project by several years.
Please remember that there are a limited number of colors, so plan projects with the fewest colors possible. Existing color-marking authorizations have priority if there are potential conflicts. It may, therefore, be necessary for the Bird Banding offices to inform other researchers of a proposed project or require banders to do so. In this way potential conflicts can be worked out ahead of time. Protocols have been established for marking certain species of waterfowl, raptors, shorebirds, etc. Banders may have less flexibility when marking such birds, and should contact the appropriate Banding Offices prior to submitting a request to determine available colors or marker types.
Auxiliary-marked birds also require special "status and additional information codes" on banding schedules. Banders using auxiliary markers should become familiar with these codes, particularly in the case of two or more marker types on one bird. Do not add an auxiliary marker to any previously banded birds without permission. This constitutes a status change and places a serious record keeping burden on the Bird Banding Laboratory.
The addition of auxiliary markers to previously banded birds is specifically excluded under the conditions of the auxiliary marking permit in the USA. The process of changing the status of previously banded birds is strongly discouraged, as it adds an extra burden on the banding offices and alters previously submitted data on the status of the bird. Banders are strongly encouraged to design their research projects using newly banded birds as much as is possible. In cases where this is not feasible (endangered species or declining populations; limited geographical scope, etc.) permission to add markers (as authorized on their Letter of Authorization) should be requested in writing from the BBL. If approved, banders will be required to report all birds with markers added to the banding office in a listing or on a recovery form. The "How Obtained" portion should include the statement "Status changed by bander" and a description of the markers that were added.
