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Prior authorization may be required from the banding office for ordering specialty bands. Some specialty bands must be order and paid for by the bander.
LOCK-ON BANDS
These bands are available in sizes 4 to 9, except for size 4A, and have a special crimping flange, thus "locking" the band around the bird's leg and making removal very difficult. Lock-on bands are made of thinner metal than butt-end bands and are inferior for use on most species. They are normally reserved for use on raptors and certain other birds capable of removing butt-end bands.
RIVET BANDS
These bands are available in size 9 only and are strictly for use on eagles. They are the same gauge and material as standard butt-end, size-9 band. Rivets will be supplied by the Bird Banding Offices when the band orders are filled. A pop-rivet tool or hand riveter capable of holding 1/8 in. (3.2 mm) diameter rivets must be obtained by the bander.
SPECIALTY BANDS
Banders requiring bands of harder metal, different alloys, or other specifications (for example, Murre bands) should contact one of the Banding Offices to determine whether these can be obtained. The cost of manufacture will normally be absorbed by the bander in the US, and may be in Canada. For bands ordered to the banders specifications (special issues), band numbers will be assigned by the Bird Banding Offices.
HUMMINGBIRD BANDS
Banding of Hummingbirds requires special authorization from the appropriate Banding Office PRIOR to ordering the bands. Hummingbird bands are issued only to banders working on special hummingbird projects. A description of the project must be on file in the appropriate Bird Banding Office. Hummingbird bands have a single letter as a prefix and five numbers as is normal for the suffix. The prefix is translated into a numeric equivalent for reporting to the BBL. Here are the current Hummingbird band prefixes and their numeric equivalents in the order they have been manufactured by the BBL.
As the very small size of these bands makes it impractical to issue them in a pre-formed condition, they are issued as a flat sheet of very thin aluminum with pre-printed band numbers. The bands must be carefully trimmed, the edges smoothed, and the band shaped before use. Instructions are provided with the bands. Each band has a “box” at each end of metal that can be partially or completely removed to make different sizes of Hummingbird bands. A hummingbird band can be trimmed to form five sizes of hummingbird bands from Extra Small to Extra Large. This information is from S. M. Russell and R. O. Russell 2001. The North American Banders’ Manual for Banding Hummingbirds. North American Banding Council (Point Reyes, California). For more information on NABC manuals, click here.
