Bird Banding in Northern Michigan 85 



The Biological Survey is now considering plans to se- 

 cure the permanent cooperation of Universities, Colleges 

 and Agricultural Colleges throughout the country in bird 

 banding and when these plans have -been developed more 

 carefully and a larger number of organizations and indi- 

 viduals have become interested in this effort the volume of 

 data and results should accumulate rapidly. 



Up to this time two principal methods of securing birds 

 for banding have been followed. First, securing young 

 birds just before they are ready to leave the nest, and sec- 

 ond, taking adult birds by means of systematic trapping. 

 The latter method is a more recent development of the 

 work although it has been carried on with unusual success 

 by Baldwin in Ohio and Georgia and valuable results have 

 already been obtained without in any way injuring the 

 birds. 



Bird banding is not to be construed as offering encour- 

 agement in the shooting or taking of birds for the express 

 purpose of recovering the bands but sooner or later many of 

 these banded birds will fall into human hands. Evei*y field 

 observer, collector and sportsman should be on the lookout 

 for banded birds and whenever one is found the number 

 or, better still, the band itself if the bird is dead, should 

 be forwarded to the United States Biological Survey, 

 Washington, D. C, along with any pertinent data concern- 

 ing the taking of the bird in order that the records may be 

 kept as complete and up to date as possible. 

 Procedure to he followed in handing hirds. 



Any person or organization expecting to band birds 

 must first secure, through the offices of the United States 

 Biological Survey, a Federal permit authorizing the taking 

 of migrator-y birds for scientific banding purposes only. 

 The State Game Department concerned is then advised of 

 the granting of such permit and a State permit is issued. 



Tlie proper permits having been secured, application 

 should then be made to the Biological Survey for an assort- 

 ment of bands of different sizes. In the writer's experi- 

 ence the sizes most commonly used are Nos. 1, 1 A, 2 and 4, 

 while occasionally a few of the large adjustable bands may 



