Archive for category: Bird Bands

Why Bird Banding Matters: What Recent Data Tell Us & How You Can Help

For more than a century, bird bands have been essential tools for science, conservation, and hunting traditions. At National Band & Tag, we’ve proudly supplied bird bands used by researchers, conservationists, and hunters to study migratory birds.

Why Do We Band Birds?

Bird banding is one of the oldest and most effective methods for tracking wild birds. Each band is stamped with a unique code that allows scientists to identify individual birds and monitor them throughout their lifetimes. Banding provides critical information about migration routes, revealing how far and where birds travel each season. It also shows survival rates, by documenting how many birds return year after year. Harvest data from band reports helps set sustainable hunting regulations, while longevity and behavior studies give us insight into how long wild birds live and what habitats they prefer. For hunters, finding a banded duck is more than just good luck—it’s a way to directly contribute to science.

What The Data Tells Us

According to the North American Bird Banding Program, there are now over 76 million banding records and more than 5 million encounter (recovery) records across nearly 800 species. The USGS Bird Banding Laboratory reports that hunters submit over 60,000 band encounter reports every year, making waterfowl hunting one of the most important sources of recovery data.

Recent Findings from Bird Band Research:

  • The autumn and winter ranges of three species of economically important dabbling ducks have shifted since the 1960s, with blue-winged teal moving south and west, and mallards and pintails shifting north and east—sometimes by hundreds of miles. USGS, Ducks Unlimited & USFWS, 2024.
  • A long-term wood duck study using more than two decades of band recoveries showed that breeding latitude strongly affects survival and harvest rates, with northern-nesting birds experiencing different demographic pressures than their southern counterparts. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 2025.
  • An ongoing 14-year study in Louisiana on Black-bellied Whistling Ducks shows about 80% of recoveries occur in Louisiana, 10% in Mississippi, 8% in Texas, and very few in surrounding states—highlighting strong Gulf Coast residency. Initial survival rates based only on live recaptures were lower than expected, so researchers are now incorporating both live and dead recoveries to better calculate annual survival. USGS, Bird Banding Laboratory.

How You Can Help

If you harvest or find a banded bird, you can play a vital role in this effort. Reporting your band provides scientists with essential details about migration, survival, and harvest rates, and in return, you’ll receive a Certificate of Appreciation showing where and when the bird was originally banded. Even worn or partial bands are useful—every report adds to the data that keeps our hunting traditions and conservation efforts strong.

The next time you’re in the marsh and find a banded duck, remember—you’re holding a piece of science history. Report it through the official USGS Bird Banding Laboratory, and know that your hunt just contributed to over 100 years of conservation knowledge.

Source: USGS Public Domain

 

 

Supporting Wildlife Conservation During National Zoo and Aquarium Month

June is National Zoo and Aquarium Month—a time to recognize and celebrate the vital work that zoos and aquariums do to protect endangered species, educate the public, and lead global conservation efforts. At National Band & Tag, we’re proud to play a small but important role in supporting these organizations through high-quality, reliable identification solutions.

Identification Tags for Conservation

From zoos and aquariums to wildlife conservation programs, accurate animal identification is key to research and long-term care. That’s where we come in.

National Band & Tag manufactures a wide range of wildlife conservation tags. Bird Bands, Ear Tags, and Fish Tags are all used for a multitude of reasons, including but not limited to; identify individual specimens, track migratory patterns, monitor health, manage breeding programs in both wild and captive populations, study behavior and monitor growth.

Trusted by Zoos and Aquariums Nationwide

Our bird bands are used by zoos across the country for both native and exotic species. Whether it’s color-coded identification for parrots, leg bands for cranes, or small aluminum bands for finches, our tags are designed with the needs of avian experts in mind.

Aquariums turn to us for small, corrosion-resistant fish tags—helping researchers identify species in educational exhibits, breeding tanks, or tagging for release-and-monitor studies.

Why Choose National Band & Tag?

  • Durability – Our bands and tags are made to withstand the environments animals live in.
  • Customization – Tags can be customized with text, numbering, etc. to meet your research needs.
  • Experience – With over 120 years in business, and a long history serving the conservation community, we understand the unique requirements of zoos, aquariums, and wildlife programs.

Partnering in Conservation

Every tag we make is an opportunity to support an animal’s care and conservation. Whether you’re monitoring endangered species or managing a breeding program, National Band & Tag is here to support your mission with reliable identification products.

Browse our Wildlife Conservation Tags to find the right solution for your program.

Bird Bands for Lanyards, Calls, and Hunting Gear

National Band & Tag’s bird bands aren’t just for birds. They can also be used on lanyards, calls, apparel, decoys, gear, and other bird hunting accessories. Our bird bands can be customized with any information, including your company name, phone number, website, email, social media handles, and more!

Custom Bird Bands for Hunting Apparel – A Unique Branding Opportunity:

In the competitive world of hunting apparel and accessories, standing out is crucial. At National Band & Tag, we offer a unique solution that not only enhances your products but also reinforces your brand identity – custom bird bands. Whether you are branding duck calls, lanyards, rifles, business cards, trade show booth giveaways, or decoys, our bird bands offer a versatile and eye-catching solution. They are great at reminding customers where they bought a product from when it’s time to reorder. They also generate word of mouth and get people talking about your products.

How to Design Your Bands:

1.) SIZE: If you need a specific size for something like a call or lanyard, find the diameter of your item. If you don’t need a specific size, then we recommend our Style #1242-14 duck band and Style #1242-24 goose band. 2.) COLOR: After you know what style/size band you want, you can now select your color. Color options vary by size. Go to our bird band page here and click on the size you want. All the colors for that specific size will then be listed. The most popular color is plain (silver) aluminum like what you would find on an actual bird banded by the USGS Bird Banding Lab. 3.) STAMPING: Stamping limitations are also based on the band size. You can view the stamping limitations by band size here. The more text you add, the smaller the text will be. Serial numbers will be off to the side of your text unless you want a Federal Band look. You can see the difference between the two stamping set ups here. 4.) APPLICATORS: NB&T applicators are made to fit each individual size of band. Bands will arrive closed on a string, so if you plan on keeping them closed, then you won’t need an applicator. But if you plan on opening and closing the bands around your product, then we recommend getting an applicator. They are designed to close the band and keep it rounded. If you were to use standard pliers to close the band, it may deform it some. If you have any questions about what can or can’t be done on a band, contact us at tags@nationalband.com or 859-261-2035. Our customer service representatives are available to answer questions and help you find the best design for your band.

Customer Examples:

Check out the samples below provided by our customers of how they use NB&T custom bird bands on their products.

National Poultry Day – 2024

March 19th is National Poultry Day, a time to celebrate the incredible contributions of poultry to our diets, economies, and cultures worldwide. From the everyday chicken to the Thanksgiving turkey, poultry plays a significant role in our lives.

Poultry is any domesticated bird used for food. Varieties include chicken, turkey, goose, duck, Cornish game hens, and game birds such as pheasant, squab, and guinea fowl. National Band & Tag manufacturers identification products for all the birds listed above and more! This year’s goal for National Poultry Day is to make doing business with NB&T even easier.

NEW – EASY CHECKOUT:

Celebrate National Poultry Day by placing an order for wing bands or leg bands. Spring is a busy time for our poultry department. We operate on a production schedule, so the sooner you order, the faster we can get your bands into the schedule to be made. Our most popular poultry identification products have now been added to our new shopping cart system for easy online check out. You can view pricing, customize your tags, select your shipping method and pay online.

OVERSTOCK OPTIONS:

Almost all our products are made to order and can take 4+ weeks for production. If you can’t wait that long, we have some over-run items that are available to be shipped out within two business days. These items are first come first serve. Call us at 859-261-2035 for availability. Let us know what style you need, and how many. We can then tell you what color and number series are available, if any. (Example: You need 500 890-3 wing bands – we might have 500 in blue numbered 5,001-5500 or 500 band in red numbered 501-1000 for you to choose from).

WE’RE HERE TO HELP!

If you have any questions about our products before placing an order, contact us to speak with one of our incredibly knowledgeable customer service representatives. The customer service representatives in our poultry department currently have a combined 25+ years of experience. We also have Spanish speaking bilingual reps available to assist. Contact us at 859-261-2035 or email tags@nationalband.com.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with NB&T and NWTF

The NWTF Convention and Sport Show kicks off February 14th with an evening social and live music with Country Outdoors in the Waterin’ Hole. Official convention activities commence on Thursday, February 15 through Saturday, February 17th.

National Band & Tag will be 1 of 500+ exhibitors at the convention. If you are at the show in Nashville, make sure to stop by our Booth #1426 to chat with our team about your identification needs. Bird bands, ear tags, wildlife conservation tags, tree tags and more, we are here to help. Pick up a free 2024 convention band at our booth (while supplies last).

NB&T has been partnering with the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) for 25+ years. Two of our eleven owners, brothers Brad and Fred Haas, always attend the NWTF convention. We asked them, “What is your favorite part about exhibiting at the NWTF convention?”:

Brad Haas: “There are so many people who tell us stories about our bands whether it’s a hunting story, banding birds or tagging critters. It’s always fun talking to the customers at the show who stop by the booth to say hi and talk about how our products are working for them.”

Fred Haas: “My favorite part of the NWTF convention is talking to all the great folks who attend the show and end up stopping at our booth to inquire about all of our tagging solutions. There are lots of experts from every state at the convention to share their knowledge about conservation and wild turkeys.”

So, stop by our booth, say hi to our team, and we look forward to seeing everyone at the 2024 NWTF Convention and Sport Show this week!

TN & KY Wild Turkey Banding Project

Did you know that the Kentucky Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Resources, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Tennessee Tech University and the NWTF  are currently collaborating to collect information on wild turkeys? For this project they are using NB&T’s aluminum rivet bands Style #1242FR9. The Tennessee-Kentucky collaborative banding project is in the second year of its four-year duration. This project will help us better understand wild turkey harvest and survival information that may be impacting wild turkey populations.

According to the article, “Multi-State Wild Turkey Research One Year Closer,” the banding project seeks to gather data that will lead to a better understanding of the biological (i.e., mating phenology or timing), landscape (i.e., habitat quality) and regulatory factors (i.e., season timing, bag limits) that influence male harvest and survival rates across Tennessee and Kentucky.

To date, 669 turkeys have been banded in Tennessee, and 659 turkeys in Kentucky.

Make sure you are following your state’s bag limits and reporting any bands you find on harvested birds. You can report your bird’s leg band ID number to the correct state’s website listed below and on the band of the turkey.
Report KY: www.FW.KY.gov/band
Report TN: www.TNTurkeyBand.com

Read NWTF’s full article here: www.nwtf.org/content-hub/multi-state-wild-turkey-research-one-year-closer

The Wonders of Bird Migration

Have you ever wondered why researchers band and GPS tag birds? One of the many reasons is to track migration routes. According to the article, “Bird appears to set non-stop distance record with 8,435-mile flight from Alaska to Australia” we may have a new world record for the most miles in a single flight! The previous record was 7,580 miles from Alaska to New Zealand in 2020. Although it is said that the same bird broke its own record in 2021 with a 8,100 mile flight. This new bird in 2022, a bar-tailed godwit, appears to have beaten both records at 8,435 miles. The bar-tailed godwit was equipped with a GPS chip and tiny solar panel. It took 11 days for the bird to travel from Alaska to Tasmania according to the data from Germany’s Max Plank Institute for Ornithology.

From the article above, researchers weren’t sure if the bar-tailed godwit was flying alone, or as part of a flock. The USGS Bird Banding Laboratory receives on average, 1.2 million banding records each year. But even still, there is not enough banded birds out there. Researchers aren’t sure if the bar-tailed godwit traveling that much distance is the norm, or an outlier.

Bird migration is a fascinating phenomenon of nature. As a bird band manufacturer, we enjoy getting to see the research, and findings that our bands help discover. If you are interested learning more about migratory routes, then check out the Audubon’s Bird Migration Explorer. This interactive tool lets you view the paths of over 400 bird species.

Picture from Audubon Field Guide

Butt-End Band: Material Comparison Chart

Aluminum Stainless Steel Incoloy Monel
Style # 1242- NB&T Size

1242F – Federal Size

 1242FH-SS 1242FH-IL 1242M
Thickness .050” Colored AL
.061” Plain AL

.064” Colored AL

 Varies depending on band size.
See thickness options here.
Uses Standard material used by the federal government. Sizes range from a hummingbird to a swan

Promotional bands, banquet bands, lanyard bands

 Ravens, crows. Some predatory birds (but lock-on or rivet bands are usually recommended)

Industrial wire markers

 Federal projects, gulls, shore birds Fish jaws, shore birds, Shrimp eye
Band Quantity Minimum 100 Bands 1,000 Bands 1,000 Bands 100 Bands
Price $ – Standard Size Bands

$$ Federal Size Bands

 $$ $$$ $$
Sizes Size 3 – 28 Size 1B – 9 F2 – F5A Size 4 – 16
Corrosion Won’t rust Won’t rust Won’t rust Won’t rust

Pigeon Band Comparison

Not sure which pigeon leg band is the best for your needs? Check out our comparison chart to find the best identification for your birds.


National Band & Tag
Other Companies
(On Amazon)
Seamless Bands Plastic Seamless Band (Style 2408)

Text runs vertically up the band, number is horizontal.

8 mm inside diameter

8 colors available

Bands must be put on newborns within first week.

 Aluminum inside, plastic outside.

Text runs horizontally across the band

8 mm inside diameter
Bands with a Seam Aluminum Butt-End Band (Style 1242-10)

Text runs horizontally across the band

7.95 mm inside diameter

Applicator (Style 1242S10) is required to close the band.

12 colors available

Plastic Spiral Bands (Style 2105)
7.937 mm inside diameter
11 colors
No customization

Bands can be put on squabs or adults.

 Text runs horizontally across the band

8 mm inside diameter

Clips together to close

Multiple colors available depending on brand.

(As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases through these paid links.)

Federal Bird Bands VS NB&T Bird Bands

National Band & Tag manufacturers bird bands ranging in size from a hummingbird all the way up to a swan. We manufacture bands for the USGS Bird Banding Laboratory that are used by researchers across the United States to track multiple species of birds. The bands we produce for the USGS are Federal Bands, but we also produce Non-Federal Bands (NB&T Bands) for those who want to band their own birds or use the bands for a promotional (non-bird) use. The chart below shows the differences between the two types of bands. You can also view our Size Comparison Chart of Federal VS NB&T bands to find the band with the correct measurement for your needs.

 
Federal Bands
NB&T Bands
Standard
 Line 1: Text
Line 2: Numbering
Line 3: TextFederal bird band

*Please note that while we can do a Federal layout with your text, we can not do the USGS Bird Banding Lab’s (or any other government agency’s) phone number or website. It has to be your information.

 1 – 5 lines of text (depending on band size).custom bird leg band
Numbering
 Numbering is on the second line, bigger, in the special “Federal” font.Federal bird band Numbering is off to the right side of the stamping. Same font as text. Numbering is optional.numbered bird band
Alternative
 We can make the 2nd line a larger font to mimic a federal band. But the second line must be text, or a static number (like a date). Sequential numbering will still be off to the right of the words. This stamping method is only available upon request.custom stamped bird band
Pricing
 Price of Bands(Special Charge B: Type Change, and Special Charge F: Special Numbering Charge, may apply) Price of Bands(Special Charge B: Type Change, and Special Charge F: Special Numbering Charge, may apply)

How to Find the Correct Leg Band Size for your Bird

Did you know, National Band & Tag manufacturers bands ranging in size from hummingbirds to swans? With so many band sizes to choose from, it may be confusing what size you need.

There are two different options for finding out which size leg band you should order:

Option 1: Find the diameter of your bird’s leg. The easiest way to do this is to use a piece of string. You might want to have one person hold the bird, while another holds the string and measures.

  • Step 1: Place the tip of a string onto the bird’s leg and hold it in place. Wrap the string around the leg until the string reaches the tip on the end of the string you are holding in place.
  • Step 2: Mark the point where the string touches the tip with a marker.
  • Step 3: Stretch the string out across the length of the ruler and then locate the mark on the string. Read the measurement on the ruler. This tells you the circumference of the bird’s leg. For this example, let us say the measurement is 34.54 mm.
  • Step 4: Divide your circumference measurement by 3.14. Given the example of a 34.54 circumference, the diameter of the leg is 11 mm. You can then take this diameter to our bird band page, and see that our Size 14 is 11.13 mm, and would be the best size for your bird.

Option 2: Check for your species of bird on the USGS’s Recommended Band Size chart. This is a guideline, and NB&T is not responsible for incorrect size bands being ordered. While the USGS’s list is reliable for most standard birds, your bird could be slightly different. For example, wild mallards usually wear a size 14 band, but farm-raised mallards tend to be a little fatter and may need to go up to a size 16 band.

Next Steps:

Now that you know the diameter of your bird’s leg, you can check out all our bird bands and find the band size that matches your bird’s leg. Don’t forget that each size band needs it’s matching applicator to properly seal it. If you are ordering multiple sizes of bands, you will also need multiple applicators.

World Migratory Bird Day 2020: Birds Connect Our World

What is World Migratory Bird Day?

In 2018, the Environment for the Americas (EFTA), joined the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), and the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA), to create a single, global, bird conservation education campaign, World Migratory Bird Day! This day is an annual awareness-raising campaign highlighting the need for the conservation of migratory birds and their habitats.

World Migratory Bird Day Poster

We celebrate World Migratory Bird Day on the second Saturday of May in the US and Canada (May 9, 2020), and the second Saturday of October in Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean (October 10, 2020). There are two celebration days a year because migratory birds are all migrating at different times in different parts of the world. The 2020 World Migratory Bird Day conservation theme, Birds Connect Our World, focuses on the tracking technologies used to explore the routes of migratory birds across the globe, and how this knowledge is used to inform conservation.

How NB&T Supports World Migratory Bird Day:

National Band & Tag is a supporter of migratory birds, and World Migratory Bird Day because we manufacture millions of bird bands each year. Researchers and conservationists use our bird bands to track birds and collect data. Our bands fit in with this year’s theme of Birds Connect Our World because our bands are used for tracking! Bands have been used since 1595 to track and identify birds. Other bird tracking systems include satellite tags, light-level geolocators, weather radars, satellite imagery, and data from people using birding apps. Tracking migratory birds provides us with lots of useful information! We learn about the places where birds nest, stop to rest, and where they spend the non-nesting months. We can examine their habitats, threats they face on the ground, and how we can help improve their migratory journey.

World Migratory Bird Day, Federal Bird Bands used by the USGS bird banding lab

How to Participate in World Migratory Bird Day while in Quarantine:

It’s a crazy time we live in right now. We aren’t able to get out and take a bird tour or attend a local WMBD activity. But there are still lots of ways you can celebrate World Migratory Bird Day from home! Check out www.migratorybirdday.org/resources for WMBD coloring pages, at-home scavenger hunts, and activity pages. You can also go birding in your backyard. Observe what birds you can see from your home, and then try learning more about your local birds online. Show off how you are celebrating WMBD on social media using #WMBD2020, #WorldMigratoryBirdDay, and #BirdsConnectOurWorld.

National Poultry Day

March 19th is National Poultry Day! It’s a day when we recognize domesticated birds that are raised for meat or eggs. “Poultry” includes chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, quail, pheasants, guineafowl, squab, and other domesticated birds.

National Band & Tag manufactures a variety of products for poultry identification such as wing bands, leg bands, and clip-on blinders. We started out selling wing bands and leg bands for chickens back in 1902. To celebrate National Poultry Day, we are recognizing chickens by creating a side by side history timeline of chickens, NB&T, and how the industry grew in the 1900s.

History of Chickens, the Broiler Industry, and National Band & Tag in the 1900s

(Click the pictures below to make them larger.)

National Poultry Day - Chicken Timeline from 1900s

National Poultry Day - History of Chickens

 

 

Chickens & The Broiler Industry History:

1800s – 1900s:  Chickens are mostly owned by backyard farmers who use them for eggs. They are considered a delicacy, usually only eaten for holidays, special occasions, or when they are no longer producing eggs. By the beginning of the 1900s, a few entrepreneurs start selling young chickens in the summers for meat as a side business for their family farms.

1916: Pedigree chicken breeding starts. Founded when Robert C. Cobb Senior purchased a farm in Littleton, MA, forming Cobb’s Pedigreed Chicks.

1920s: Vitamin D was discovered in the early 1920s, which led to a revolution in poultry keeping. Hens could now survive through the winter months with Vitamin D supplements and go on to produce healthier chicks in the spring. Now that they can be raised indoors, people start building designated chicken coops. This all helped reduce the high mortality rate of chickens.

1923: Cecile Steele is the pioneer of the commercial broiler industry. Steele ordered 50 chicks for egg production; by mistake, she received 500 chicks. Instead of returning them, she saw an opportunity. She waited until the chickens reached 2 pounds live weight and sold them for a profit at 62 cents a pound. She increased her numbers in 1924 to 1,000 chicks, 10,000 in 1926, and 26,000 in 1928.

1939-1945: WW2 creates a ration on beef, pork, and lamb. People are encouraged to raise and eat more chicken. By the end of the war, Americans are eating 3 times more chicken than they were before the war.

1942: The government approves a new form of cleaning and packing ready-to-cook whole chickens in ice in wooden crates.

1948: Post war, “Chicken of Tomorrow” contest encourages breeders to create bigger, better broilers. Arbor Acres White Rocks’ white-feathered birds beat out the higher-performing Red Cornish crosses from the Vantress Hatchery. These two breeds would eventually be crossed and become the Arbor Acre breed whose genetics now dominate poultry farms worldwide today.

1950: Broilers are now the #1 source of poultry meat. Almost all Americans now have a modern, bottom cooling refrigerator, which has set a new standard of food storage and food safety

1952: The commercial broiler industry begins its economic boom. Specially bred meat chickens (“broilers”) surpass farm chickens as the number one source of chicken meat in the United States.

1970s: The broiler industry focuses on nutritional discoveries, disease eradication programs, and genetic improvements.

1980s: Consumers are starting to prefer cut-up and further-processed chickens to the traditional whole bird. Chicken surpasses pork consumption in 1985.

1990s: Chicken becomes the top-selling meat, surpassing beef. The movement towards natural, organic birds and eggs begins with more attention towards animal welfare.

 

National Band & Tag History:

1902: Joseph Haas starts to manufacture poultry leg and wing bands. He had been informed that breeders were improving their flocks, and it was necessary to distinguish one fowl from another. Visualizing the possibilities of a new industry, Haas went to work designing a few patterns of bands. Crude at first, they improved with recommendations from customers and experimental projects. He continued to make improvements until he came up with bands that worked. Ads were placed in poultry magazines, and although he had no competition, orders were slow.

1914: National Band & Tag makes its first move from a small barn to a garage, still in Newport, KY. NB&T now employs 3 people, one being Haas’s youngest son who was 11 years old.

1926: Business takes off for National Band & Tag! With the start of the broiler industry, more and more people are now raising chickens. The business moves from the garage to a building on Orchard St. in Newport, KY. Haas’s eldest son joins the business, and NB&T now employs 10 people.

1939: National Band & Tag invents Anti-Pix Chicken Glasses to help stop cannibalism in flocks. A year later in 1940, the “Jiffy” wing band is invented as an alternative to the “Zip” wing band.

1952: Now shipping worldwide, and profiting from the broiler industries’ economic boom, NB&T relocates from Orchard St. to a larger building on York St., Newport KY, which is where it still is today.

1957: C-LESS peepers are invented using aluminum to replace the chicken glasses

1968: The new “Tab End” wing band is invented. NB&T now employs 50 people.

1980s: National Band & Tag now has 3rd and 4th generation family members working together. NB&T continues to purchase surrounding land to expand the building.

1990s: NB&T celebrates 90 years of business in 1992.

 

Memorial Bird Bands

A great way to memorialize bird hunters who are no longer with us is with Memorial Bird Bands.

Customers use our Memorial Bird Bands as a memento to hand out to friends and family at the funeral. Some people will then put the bird band on their lanyard or keychain so that they can carry it around with them every day as a remembrance of their loved one. Hunting buddies or hunt clubs may want to pass out the bands amongst its members in honor of the deceased. Some will raffle off the memorial bands to help raise money for the family. We even had one customer put the memorial bands in honor of her son on ducks, so duck hunters would call for years saying they got one of the banded birds in tribute of her son.

 

Here are some of the ways our customers have customized their Memorial Bird Bands:

 

Memorial bird bands

IN LOVING MEMORY OF BRANDON MAUGLE 06/19/93-04/16/14

 

RIP MEMORIAL BANDS

JEFFERY WILKINS 4/23/1964 – 8/7/2016

LIVE LOVE DREAM MEMORIAL BIRD BANDS

STEVEN N. KENDRICK 02/09/99 – 01/27/19 LIVE – LOVE – DREAM

REST IN PEACE BIRD BANDS FOR HUNTERS

LEGENDS NEVER DIE RIP JB 12/2/12

DUCK MEMORIAL BANDS FOR LANYARDS

KELLY KEITH EADS 05/12/1997-01/21/2019 GET LOWER & SHOOT HIGHER

 

Click here to view our bird band sizes.

Bird bands come in multiple sizes and colors and can be customized with your text.

 

 

 

 

Duck and Goose Proposal Bands

Are you a bird hunting enthusiast ready to propose to your significant other? National Band & Tag is here to help with Duck or Goose sized leg bands stamped with “WILL YOU MARRY ME?”. Each pack comes with 5 bands. Proposal Bands are sold exclusively on Amazon. The duck bands are our size 14 bands, which have a 7/16″ inside diameter. The goose bands are our size 24 bands, which have a 3/4″ inside diameter.

will you marry me duck band and goose band

Goose band (left) – Duck band (right)

Will You Marry Me? Proposal Bands for Hunting Marriage Proposals. (Goose Bands)
Will You Marry Me? Proposal Bands for Hunting Marriage Proposals. (Duck Bands)
(As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases through these paid links.)

HOW IT WORKS:

You can use these bands to propose in any way you would like, but the most popular way is when your significate other shoots a bird, to run over and get it for them, to slide the band on the leg and then bring it back to have them read. If you have a different or creative way to propose using our leg bands, comment below to share with us. If your significant other said yes, share your pictures with us on Facebook.

Authentic Metal Replica Leg Bands

Are you looking for the real deal, authentic duck or goose replica bands? National Band & Tag manufactures federal bird bands used by the North American Bird Banding Program, so there is a good chance that the band found on your bird was manufactured by us in the first place. Don’t fall for fake Replica Bands. Use the tips below to tell the difference between a knock-off and an authentic Replica Band.

Check out the difference between National Band & Tag’s Replica Bands and the other guys:

National Band & Tag’s Authentic Replica Bands:

  • Stamping 100% matches the original bird band
  • Made from .064” plain aluminum
  • Letters are in all caps, stamped from a press
  • We verify all Certificates of Appreciation with the USGS so that there are no fake bands being produced

Non-Authentic Replica Bands:

  • They put their own phone number and website on the band instead of the USGS’s.
  • Made of other materials or colors
  • Letters are uneven or hand-engraved
  • The stamp any number you give them

Metal Authentic Replica Bird Bands

For Replica Band pricing and more information, click here.

Custom Wedding Bird Bands

Banded for Life

Did you know, we can create custom duck or goose bands for your proposal, save-the-dates, or wedding favors?

Well, we have a new one to add to the list, Name Card Holders!

One of our creative customers got stamped leg bands and cut slits in the name tags so that they would slide over the sides of the bands. The bands featured below are our Style 1242-20 (5/8″ diameter), Butt-End Bands, in plain aluminum. These are the same types of bands that the USGS Bird Banding Laboratory uses on birds in the wild for research. This couple customized their bands with “Banded On”, the wedding date, and their names. We can customize bands with almost any text. Most couples like to put their wedding date on the second line in a bigger text because then it looks similar to an actual federal band.

wedding custom bird bands for name holders

Do you have a creative way that you used our bird leg bands? Share in the comments below! To see other ways customers have used bird leg bands, check out our blog.

International Owl Awareness Day

Fun Fact: There are over 200 species of owls in the world

Banded owl for International Owl Awareness Day

August 4th is International Owl Awareness Day! NB&T is celebrating with the top 10 oldest banded owls according to the “USGS Bird Banding Laboratory’s Longevity Records of North American Birds“. According to the Bird Banding Lab, the oldest banded owl is a 28-year-old Great Horned Owl, located in Ohio. It was banded on 3/9/1977 and encountered on 3/24/2005. This Great Horned Owl was found with an injury and placed into captivity. On our oldest banded bird list, the 2nd, 5th, 7th, and 9th oldest birds are also Great Horned Owls. Other species on the top 10 list include Barred Owl, Snowy Owl, Northern Spotted Owl, and Great Gray Owl.USGS Owl chart

National Band & Tag Company manufactures metal leg bands that are also used to band owls. Different types of research and conservation organizations will band owls to monitor the population, mating, movement, diet, etc. so that they can better improve their conservation efforts. Many species of owls that are endangered, or threatened, is because of the loss of their natural environment. Owls are important for the environment because they help control rodent populations.

Have you ever encountered a banded owl? Share your story in the comments section below or join the conversation on social media by using  #InternationalOwlAwarenessDay.

 

 

 

National Wildlife Day

Today, February 22nd is National Wildlife Day! Also celebrated on September 4th, the 22nd was added to honor the memory and birthday of wildlife conservationist, Steve Irwin.

National Wildlife Day was created to bring awareness of endangered animals that need to be preserved and rescued from their diminishing populations. This day is also used to acknowledge zoos and animal sanctuaries for everything they do to help preserve this planet’s animals and educate the public about conservation. National Wildlife Day is celebrated on two dates, to double the effort to help bring awareness of the plight of wild animals around the globe. NWD encourages wildlife lovers to stand up and fight for animals that need a voice, visit their local zoo, and donate what they can to make a difference in the lives of endangered animals.

National Band & Tag is excited to celebrate today by recognizing all our conservation, zoo, and sanctuary customers! The research and conservation efforts that our customers make is inspiring, and we are happy to know that they use our products to help make a difference. We have had the opportunity to meet a lot of these great people the past two years at The Wildlife Society Conference, and we are excited to get to work with more conservationists in the future to meet all their identification needs.

bird bands

sea turtle tag

fish tag

Learn more about National Wildlife Day here: http://www.nationalwildlifeday.com/

Banded for Life

Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, and we are celebrating with some different species of birds that not only mate for life, but that researchers and conservationist have banded with NB&T bird bands for life.

Bald Eagles are monogamous birds that generally mate for life unless a pair is unable to produce eggs, and if one partner dies, the remaining partner will seek out a new mate. During courtship, these raptors have various flight displays including a fantastic cartwheeling fall where the pair locks talons in midair.

eagle with a leg band

Barn Owls are solitary creatures until they find and pair off with a mate. They mate for life and become very emotionally attached to their partner. Barn Owls can often be seen cuddling with their partner and babies in their nest.

barn owl with a leg band

Geese are very loyal birds who will mate for life and are very protective of their partners and offspring. When a goose’s mate dies, that bird will mourn in seclusion. Some geese spend the rest of their lives as widows or widowers, refusing to mate again.

goose with a leg band

Laysan Albatrosses return to the colony three years after fledging but do not mate for the first time until seven or eight years old. During these four or five years, they form bonds with a mate that they will keep for life.

Laysan Albatrosses with a leg band

Ravens mate for life and live in pairs in a fixed territory. When their children reach adolescence, they leave home and join other adolescences. These flocks of young birds live and eat together until they mate and pair-off.

raven with a leg band

Sandhill Cranes mate for life and when they form a pair, the bond can last for years, until one of the cranes dies. After a mate passes away, the surviving crane will seek out a new mate.

crane with a leg band

Swans mate for life, although “divorce” sometimes occurs, particularly following nesting failure, and if a mate dies, the remaining swan will take up with another.

swan with a leg band

Learn about more birds who mate for life here.