# Collared/Banded Birds



## wisconsingoosehunter (Feb 13, 2006)

Alright, call me stupid, but I need to know about all this business with banded birds. I see that it's quite a prize to get one, but why? What do they mean? Are they worth something? What's the difference in colors? Why are some on the leg and others on the neck? Just too curious. I had to ask!


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## Greg_4242 (Feb 21, 2005)

Your joking.... Right...... :shake:


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## wisconsingoosehunter (Feb 13, 2006)

Thanks for the help Greg! I guess you were born knowing that, right?


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## wisconsingoosehunter (Feb 13, 2006)

Let me clarify myself. I know that they are banded to track the movement of the birds. What I don't know is what the difference in color is and why people sell them on ebay and why some are neck banded and others are leg banded.


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## Ref (Jul 21, 2003)

The bands and neck collars are put on the birds by Wildlife employees to keep track of the migration routes of the geese. When you harvest a bird with a leg band or collar, you call that band number in to the telephone number that is on the band. They want to know when, where and how you harvested the bird. They will then send you a certificate with information about the bird when they banded it. You get to keep the band or collar as a souvenier(sp). It's like a bonus bird to many hunters. I'm not sure what the different colored collars mean. I think they put collars on so that they can view the geese with spotting scopes while they are in a field or on the water and can keep track of them without harvesting them.

Your last post was not on the site when I was writing my response. I now can see that you already know what I posted. I'm curious to know about the different colors too.

Ref


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## wisconsingoosehunter (Feb 13, 2006)

Thanks Ref. I try to learn something new every day, and I have today!


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## Ty (Mar 11, 2004)

Some bands are actually worth money as well.

Its kinda like shooting a big buck. Its something thats very rare and when you get one its pretty special.


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## PJ (Oct 1, 2002)

It's like getting an Ohio State Buckeye on your football Helmet.


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## tom sawyer (Feb 1, 2006)

I Googled this and found that different colors are used by different research projects. It didn't say which areas are using which colors though. They are colored and numbered so tehy can be IDed with binoculars.


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## Triple B (Mar 9, 2004)

the different colors usually indicate different species or breeding colonies in the tundra.


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## Ref (Jul 21, 2003)

Thanks for the information about the different colored neck bands.


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## collarcatcher (Jan 26, 2006)

In response to your questions about neck collars -and the different colors.
Color of a collar depends on the state/province where the birds were banded...so a collared bird will also have an aluminum leg band from the bird banding lab. Only adult birds get neck collars, juvies get a colored leg band along with the typical aluminum band. Wish I could help more with the particular COLORS , but here in the atlantic flyway we get 98% yellow collars (greater snow geese from Nunavut Territory. ) Your lesser snows/ross's are a different animal. Hope you collect some of that goose jewelry this spring! CC

:beer:


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## bandman (Feb 13, 2006)

after you start racking up the bands, you just want more and more. its like an addiction. i hunt with a buddy that used to think the same thing about them, he'd always ask me what i find so fascinating about them. the best thing i can tell you is that it is a mental thing. the memories of every waterfowl season are great and cannot be replaced but at the end of the season i always find myself asking how many bands did i get ? it brings a competition to hunting waterfowl. when you find yourself picking up a bird and checking its legs right away for bands every single time, you'll know your getting the addiction!


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## goosegrinder (Mar 4, 2005)

I guess I got the addiction bad. dd:

Alex


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## Phil The Thrill (Oct 21, 2005)

i had a buddy who said quote " bands are a dime a dozen". i wish i had an area where that was true. i definatley have the addiction.


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## Pahuntdog (Jan 12, 2006)

Hey collarcatcher where you at in Pa. and do you any good snow hunting 
dont see many around here


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## collarcatcher (Jan 26, 2006)

yo pahuntdog, I'm in southeast pa-snows are pretty spotty elsewhere in the state...check your p.m.'s CC :beer:


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## Sean Ehmke (Jan 4, 2006)

Hey guys don't forget that bands for duck and geese are like big racks are to trophy deer hunters.. Something to brag about and kind of a status symble.

Now you can't tell me that's not the truth.......


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