c. To help biologists track its movements as it migrates.

Believe it or not, biologists don't know everything about the animals they are managing. Many birds that we see in Wisconsin migrate across the North American continent to find food in the winter and to find a suitable place to raise their young in the spring. During their migration, birds will stop at many places along the way to rest and eat. By placing a numbered band on its leg or collar on its neck (as shown in the picture), volunteers, other biologists and even you can call in the band number to a central location and record observations of that bird. From these observations, we can tell the bird's preferred type of habitat along the route, measure its lifespan, and monitor growth and reproduction. This is jewelry with a purpose!

If you see a bird with a band on it, here's what you do:

When You See a Neck Collar
Write down the exact location where you saw the banded bird, the nearest town, the letters written on the collar, the color of the collar and the color of the letters on the collar (for example, a blue collar with white letters). Report this information along with your name and address to the Waterfowl Assistant at the Department of Natural Resources by calling (608) 266-1877.

When You See a Leg Band
These are so small that most people don't see them unless they are goose hunting and harvest a banded bird, or if they are a biologist and are capturing birds to band them or check bands. If you should come across a bird with a leg band, you should write down the county you found/shot/saw it in, the nearest town to the location, and the date of your harvest report if you shot it while hunting. Call and report your finding to the National Biological Service B.B.L. in Maryland by calling 1-800-327-BAND (2263). Give them your name and address so they can send you a complete report telling you where the bird was sighted while it was banded.

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