Looking ahead - Banding Birds

[Debbieknd]

Does anyone know where I can get those little bands that go around the bird legs?
I have 4 baby English Budgies ..and this time I would like to place one on them..and others I hope on breeding!

[CocosMomma]

Two companies I have heard of for bands are: L & M products and DL Products. I'm sure there are probably others as well.

[Shirley]

http://home.earthlink.net/~lmbird/

That's L&M above.
I use them all the time.
they are often busy such that you have to wait a couple three weeks at this time of year.
I put mine on at 8 days, Bourke's. You have to put them on before their legs grow too much.

[Debbieknd]

What is the difference in open and close bands?
which do you perfer

[Shirley]

Closed bands are put on baby birds whose legs are still tiny. Open bands are put on after the bird is grown - and open colored plastic bands are often use to tell which are from which clutch, males from females, etc, and can be easily removed once the bird is sold. Sometimes birds (finches, canaries) will be sold with 2 colored plastic open bands - one for the clutch, and one for the sex ID. And then they may have a metal closed band w/year of hatch, state, breeder's initials, and a number that means something only to the breeder.

I use closed bands only - we don't have very many clutches per year, and only one clutch at a time.

I don't like open bands - too easy for things to get caught in them.

Wild-caught (adult) parrots from back in the day when that was allowed, and importation was allowed, open metal bands were used and required for importation.

Some people don't band their babies. On the smaller birds in particular (Cockatiels and smaller) I think it's important to at least know the year of hatch. Too often these birds are sold and resold and resold, with no honest history being passed along with them.

[Debbieknd]

Thank you Shirley..you have been a big help..I have never have banded my babies. But I have only dealt with 2 clutches of Budgies..but I think you are right..about at least the hatch date on the bands..I adopted a English Budgie that just died on her band we think it said 1990..
She was 19 yrs old..Remarkable..she gave me 2 beautiful cluches before she died.
that I gave away the babies than..

It will be to late with this clucth of Budgies.. so next one I will be ready.:thanx: