Hunters who take a banded bird may wonder where the bird originated, how old it is, or whom to contact to report the information on the band. In the past, many hunters found it difficult to report their band recovery, while others simply didn't feel it was necessary. To make life simpler and to improve the reporting rate of band recoveries, the U.S. Geological Survey's Bird Banding Laboratory, in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, recently placed a toll-free number on bird bands.
Hunters are welcome to keep the bands they report.
When they make the call, they can find out where and when the bird was banded. In addition, each hunter who reports a band recovery will receive a certificate of appreciation that tells when, where, and who banded the bird. The Service is responsible for establishing waterfowl hunting regulations. The banding program helps provide information about waterfowl movements, survival rates, and harvest rates that is critical to population management and setting of hunting regulations. The information provided by hunters is essential to this effort.