Irwin Lab Bird Banding Protocol
D. Irwin, April 13, 2006
I am writing this so that we all have a standard protocol for keeping records of the birds
that we catch, and so that we are all taking measurements in a consistent way. Following
this protocol will minimize mistakes and confusion, maximizing the value of our data and
potentially saving us much time later.
Note that I would like us all to take at least the standard measurement listed below, but
you are encouraged to record additional measurements/observations appropriate to your
particular project or study species. Just make sure you clearly define how you take other
measurements.
We use a single record sheet for each bird. On that sheet we record the following:
Record #: This is a 7-character code that is unique for each bird, broken down as
follows:
First character refers to the year (starting with “A” for 2001, so “I” is 2009).
Second character for the month (“A” for January, “B” for February, etc.).
Third and fourth characters are for the day of that month.
Fifth character is for the banding team leader (“A” for Alan, “D” for Darren, “R”
for Rush, “T” for Toews, “S” for Sampath).
Sixth and seventh characters are for the number of the bird in the order that it was
caught that day (“01” for the first, “02” for second, etc.).
Example: FC18D01 refers to the first bird of the day caught by Darren on March
18, 2006.
Location: A short written description of the location, ideally referring to a nearby major
town that would be on a map.
GPS: If you have a GPS device, record the North and West coordinates of the netting
site. Use the decimal setting on the GPS, rather than recording minutes and seconds.
Example:
N: 49.25682
W: 123.23041
Elev: If possible, record the elevation and how it was measured. If using GPS, make sure
that it is giving accurate elevation readings (sometimes GPS can be wildly inaccurate in
estimating elevation). (Note that we can figure out elevation later using Google Earth and
the GPS coordinates.)
Date: Yes, this is redundant with the Record #, but it is a good check so that mistakes can
later be corrected.
Time: The time the bird was caught. This can be useful for various reasons. One is that
you can later match up digital photos with exact birds more easily if the time of catching
is recorded. Also, birds gain fat reserves through the day, so time can be used to correct
weight for this effect of time.
Species: Record the four-letter species code of the bird. If there is a possibility of any
confusion here, also write out the full species name.
Sex: Record “M” or “F” if known, or “U” if unknown. By conservative here. Only record
a sex if you are fairly sure. Also, it can be good to make a note of how you know this.
Age: Record one of the standard codes (e.g. U, HY, SY, AHY, ASY, etc.). Be
conservative—include any uncertainty in the code you use.
Breeding: Write “Y” if you are fairly sure that this bird is on its chosen breeding territory
for the season. This does not indicate the bird has a mate, a nest, or offspring. Rather, it
means that the bird is on its chosen breeding grounds. You can infer this from the time of
year, the bird’s behavior (is it singing?; is it territorial?), and by observing if the bird is in
the same place over a period of time. If you don’t know if it is breeding in the place you
caught it, record “N” or “U”.
CP: Cloacal protuberance. This is taken from the MAPS manual:
As the breeding season approaches, the cloaca of most male birds (and female Wrentits)
begins to enlarge and forms an obvious protuberance which serves a role in sperm
storage. The development of the cloacal protuberance is recorded according to the system
shown below. Again, we strongly recommend using the numeric codes, although
corresponding alpha codes are also given.
0 - (N= none): Cloaca not enlarged.
1 - (S= small): Cloaca somewhat enlarged and noticeably swollen. The shape of
the protuberance is generally such that it is widest at the base and narrowest
near the tip (conical). Since small cloacal protuberances (CPs) can be hard
to discern, caution should be used in ageing or sexing birds on the basis of a
CP of 1 alone. A CP of 1 can not be used to age or sex the thrushes of the
genera Catharus, Hylocichla, Turdus, or Ixoreus. Unenlarged cloacas in
these species have often been designated CP = 1, which regularly has led to
incorrect age or sex determinations.
2 - (M = medium): Cloacal protuberance large, with a diameter fully as large near
the tip as at the base (cylindrical).
3 - (L = large): Cloacal protuberance very large and with a diameter considerably
larger in the middle than at the base (bulbous).
Unlike a brood patch (see below), a regressing CP simply goes back down the scale: 3-21-0. CPs vary greatly in size and shape among species, being largest and most prominent
in sparrows and thrushes and much less prominent in jays and Wrentits. It may be
possible to sex species that rarely show prominent CPs by examining the angle of the CP
with respect to the body axis. In males, the CP seems to point straight out, more or less
perpendicular to the body axis. In females, the cloaca seems to point toward the rear of
the bird, somewhat more parallel to the axis of the body. This same tendency can be used
with caution to distinguish the occasionally slightly enlarged cloacal region of a female
from a true class- 1 CP of a male. Class- 2 and - 3 CPs of males, of course, cannot be
confused with those of females in any species except, possibly, in Wrentits. Please note
that all cloacas, whether enlarged or not, stick out. A true CP is characterized by firmness
and lateral swelling. Note also that immature birds DO NOT get CPs.
BP: Brood Patch. This is taken from the MAPS manual:
Just prior to and during the time that the female (and in some species, the male as well) is
incubating eggs in a nest, the feathers of the lower breast and abdomen are lost,
vascularization increases just below the skin, and considerable fluid collects below the
skin. The purpose of these changes is, of course, to facilitate the transfer of heat from the
incubating bird’s body to the eggs. The scale shown below should be used to record the
sequence of events in the development and regression of a brood patch. Again, we
strongly recommend using the numeric codes, although corresponding alpha codes are
also given.
NOTE: In hummingbirds and in juveniles of most species, the lower breast and abdomen
are normally unfeathered. This can cause it to look like a brood patch of 1 or 4, but the
area is darker red and unwrinkled and usually has a less distinct margin.
0-
1-
2-
3-
4-
5-
(N = none): No brood patch is present. The lower breast and abdomen are
more-or-less feathered. Unfeathered areas of the breast and abdomen are
smooth, without evident vascularization.
(S = smooth): The lower breast and abdomen feathers are dropped and some
vascularization can be seen, but most of the area is still rather smooth and
dark red.
(V= vascularized): Vascularization is evident, some wrinkles are present,
and some fluid is present under the skin, giving the area a pale, opaque,
pinkish color as opposed to the normal, dark-red muscle color.
(H = heavy): The vascularization is extreme, the brood patch becomes
thickly wrinkled, and much fluid is present under the skin. This is the
maximum extent of the brood patch and corresponds closely to the time
during which the bird is incubating eggs.
(W = wrinkled): The vascularization mostly has disappeared and the fluid
under the skin is mostly gone. The skin, however, retains many thin, drylooking, contracted wrinkles.
(M = molting): The vascularization and fluid and most of the wrinkles are
gone. New pinfeathers are present as the area begins to become re-feathered.
Most birds do not reach class 5 BPs until the nesting season is over and the
prebasic molt has begun.
The sequence of 0 to 5 is rather symmetric. Classes 1 and 5 resemble each other,
class 5 being distinguished most easily by the growth of new feathers. Similarly, classes 2
and 4 resemble each other but class 4 can be distinguished by its dry, thin wrinkles, as
opposed to the thick, fluid-filled wrinkles of class 2.
Fat (optional): This is taken from the MAPS Manual:
Subcutaneous fat is a yellow or orange substance that is stored just under the skin and is
used as fuel for migratory flights and for maintenance during the colder winter months.
Fat generally is stored in three discrete areas that usually begin filling in the following
order: (1) the hollow in the furculum (wishbone) just below the throat at the top of the
breast muscles; (2) the hollow directly under the wing, essentially in the “wingpit”; and
(3) the lower abdomen just anterior to the vent area. The stored fat can be seen clearly
through the nearly-transparent skin and contrasts with the dull, dark-reddish color of the
breast muscles. It is seen most easily by holding the bird on its back while placing the
index and middle fingers on the front and back of the bird’s neck, stretching the head
slightly forward along a line parallel to the body, and gently blowing the feathers away
from the upper breast to expose the furculum. Then check under the wing and on the
abdomen, again by blowing the feathers gently out of the way. Fat content generally can
be assessed quite easily while checking for breeding condition and body molt. The codes
shown below should be used to record fat content. The use of the following numeric
codes is strongly recommended:
01-
2-
3-
4-
5-
67-
(N = none): No fat in the furculum or anywhere on the body.
(T = trace): A very small amount of fat in the furcular hollow (< 5% filled)
but not enough to cover the bottom of the furculum, and no fat or just a trace
of fat is present under the wing, on the abdomen, or anywhere else on the
body; or, if there is no fat in the furcular hollow, at least a trace of fat is
present under the wing, on the abdomen, or both.
(L = light): The bottom of the furculum is completely covered but the
furcular hollow is less than a filled, and a small amount of fat may be
present under the wing, on the abdomen, or both; or, if there is no fat in the
furcular hollow, a covering pad of fat is definitely present under the wingpit
and, usually, on the abdomen.
(H = half): The furcular hollow is about half full (actually anywhere from a
to b filled), and a covering pad of fat is definitely present under the wingpit
and, usually, on the abdomen; or, if there is no fat in the furcular hollow, a
thick layer of fat occurs under the wing and on the abdomen.
(F = filled): The furcular hollow is full (actually anywhere from b full to
level with the clavicles) and a thick layer of fat also occurs under the wing
and on the abdomen; or, if the fat in the furcular hollow is not full, the fat
under the wing as well as on the abdomen is well mounded.
(B = bulging): The furcular hollow is more than full; that is, the fat is
bulging slightly above the furculum. The fat under the wing as well as that
on the abdomen is also well mounded.
(G = greatly bulging): Fat is bulging greatly above the furculum. Large
mounds of fat occur under the wings and on the abdomen.
(V = very excessive): The fat pads of the furculum, "wingpit," and abdomen
are bulging to such an extent that they join. Nearly the entire ventral surface
of the body is thus covered with fat, and fat even extends onto the neck and
head. Such birds are nicknamed “butterballs.”
NOTE: The upper fat classes (5-7) are seen most often just prior to and during
migration.
Band number: Record the number of the aluminum band that you put on the bird.
IMPORTANT: If you are not sure of the species, you cannot put a numbered
aluminum band on the bird. However, you can still measure the bird.
Color bands: Write out a description of the color bands put on the bird, including which
leg each is on and which is on top. Left and right refer to the bird’s perspective.
Example:
Black over yellow on left, aluminum on right
In our computer database, I have come up with a concise way of recording these
color combinations. Color codes are as follows:
B
L
R
O
K
Y
P
U
G
N
a
dark Blue
Light blue
Red
Orange
blacK
Yellow
Pink
pUrple
dark Green
light greeN
aluminum
So the above example would be: K/Y:a (black over yellow split band on left, metal
on right)
More examples:
R/Y_a:P/G (red over yellow split band over aluminum on left, pink over
green split band on right)
L/K_a: (light blue over black split band over aluminum on left, nothing
on right)
:a
(nothing on left, aluminum on right)
Blood?: Circle Y if you took a blood sample. On the tube, record the record number, the
band number, and the species code.
Feathers: Record which feathers you took, if you took feathers. On the envelope, record
the record number, the band number, and the species code. The standard feathers that I
take from most species are the 4th rectrix (3rd outermost) on the right side of the bird, and
the 4th greater covert (the 4th outermost) from the right wing. You can adjust this
depending on the species and the particulars of the study. On Yellow-rumped Warblers,
we take the 3rd greater covert (the 3rd outermost).
Photo? Circle Y if you took photos. It is a good idea for the first photo of each bird to
show the leg bands, so that you can match photos to bird.
MEASUREMENTS
Initials of Measurer: The initials of the person who is measuring the bird. One person
should do all of the measurements. This is very important to know in case different
people measure differently.
Wing Chord: This is the unflattened wing length, measured as described by Pyle (1997,
p. 4-6).
Tail Length: This is the tail length measured by inserting a ruler between the two central
rectrices, as described by Pyle (1997, p. 6).
Tarsus Length: Measured according to Pyle (1997, p. 8).
Bill Length: The “bill from nares to tip” measurement described by Pyle (1997, p. 7).
Exposed Culmen (optional): The length between the feathering at the upper base of the
bill and the bill tip, described by Pyle (1997, p. 7). Do this one only if you want to.
Bill Depth and Bill Width: Measured at the anterior end of the nostrils, according to
Pyle (1997, p. 7-8).
Weight: Measure using a Pesola scale or digital scale. Make sure the scale is calibrated
and that you subtract the weighing bag. (Of all the measurements, this is the least
important for our research, so if pressed for time you can skip this.)
Notes: A very important place to put any additional observations regarding any of the
above or other information, such as behavior before or after catching, molt patterns, how
sex or age was inferred, etc.
IRWIN LAB BLOOD SAMPLING PROTOCOL
Before you go into the field, you need to prepare a bunch of tubes of lysis buffer. The
standard buffer that we use is "Queen's Lysis Buffer" (Seutin et al. 1991), containing the
following:
0.01 M Tris
0.01 M NaCl
0.01 M EDTA
1% n-lauroylsarcosine
pH 7.5
Arrange a bunch of 1.5 ml centrifuge tubes in a cardboard sample box, and place 0.5 ml
of buffer in each.
Then, when you are in the field, collect a blood sample from a bird as follows:
1) Gently but firmly hold out the wing of the bird, and use your finger to clear away
feathers and expose the underside of the elbow joint. Use a bit of ethanol to clean
the skin and expose the brachial vein.
2) Prick the brachial vein with a sterile narrow-gauge needle. Discard the needle into
a sharps waste container.
3) Use a glass microcapillary tube to passively take up 5 to 40 microliters of blood.
4) Transfer the microcapillary tube to an open 1.5 ml microcentrifuge tube, already
filled with buffer. Affix a rubber air bulb to the microcapillary tube and squeeze
to eject the blood into the buffer (ideally, this is done by an assistant). Discard the
microcapillary into a sharps waste container.
5) If the bird is still bleeding after removal of the capillary, apply styptic powder
(you can find this at any pet store).
6) Close the bird’s wing and hold the bird calmly, wings folded, in your hand for a
couple minutes to ensure bleeding has stopped.
7) Label the 1.5 ml microcentrifuge tube containing the blood/buffer with the bird’s
identification number, the date, and the collector’s name.
The lysis buffer will preserve the DNA in the blood for long periods of time (e.g. at least
months) at room temperature, but if possible keep refrigerated.