How to Report a Banded Bird
To report an owl or other wild bird with a numbered leg band or other marker, go to the U.S. Bird Banding Lab’s web page for reporting encounters of marked birds with a federal band at
It is not necessary to return the band. The finder will receive a certificate of appreciation by USPS or email.
Any banded wild bird should be reported to the federal Bird Banding Lab. (©Scott Weidensaul)
The North American banding program does not track racing pigeons, which are banded by their owners; for more information on pigeon bands, visit the American Racing Pigeon Union at
http://www.pigeon.org/lostbirdinfo.htm.
If you purchased a used bird band online, and wish to report it, please don’t. Reporting bought or sold bands is unethical, and jeopardizes the validity of the data collected from the banding program.