FINCHforum

We have 5 Red Ear (Black Rumped) Waxbills. They were never banded though, so we have no way to identify them. We can somewhat tell the males from females by the level of red around their vent, but that isn't a solid way to tell for sure.

Has anyone tried to put a leg band on an adult bird? I don't want to stress them out (more than waxbills already are) but would really like to keep track of who roosts with whom, who chases whom, etc.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

D

DamonIRB

Hi Damon,

Yes, I have banded adult finches with plain plastic perler beads (for ID purposes)

I simply buy a bag of mixed perler beads, and using a sharp knife, I cut each ring into 2 or 3 sections, which I stretch over a screw driver oe whatever you have to make them a bit wider and more pliable.

Then I get everything I need on the table where I'm going to work
Rings
A small container with a few drops of olive oil
Some tissue, like kleenex or whatever

Grab all your birds, into a small cage, where you can capture them easily. Place cage on your table and cover with a small towel.

Now take some deep breaths, get ready and grab your first bird.
Dip your fingers in olive oil and rub over desired foot, ankle, and leg.
Wipe fingers on kleenex.
Grab ring and slide it quickly over claws, toes, and ankle of bird.
Gently massage the oil into foot and leg, then wipe access oil off with kleenex.
Place bird back in original flight.

Grab #2, and repeat.

It works really well, and can go faily quickly once you get the hang of it.
Usually the worst part, is catching them all in the first place.

I would recommend doing this with all windows and doors closed, and no other pets in the room with you (for obvious reasons).

Good luck

DamonIRB - I have a bunch of different color split plastic bands (they come in different sizes). There is a small kind of spoon-shaped tapered aluminum tool that comes with them. You insert the tool into the band thus stretching it until the opening is wide enough to let you put your bird's leg into it. Then slide the tool back out and gently press the split band closed again (if necessary). Done.
The process of catching them first and putting them into a smaller cage (as Elana explained) should work just fine. I usually band new birds when I take them out of the transport box/cage they came in.
Hope this helps,
Iso

DamonIRB For the smaller waxbills, the National Finch and Softbill Society now sells a different kind of band, sort of like a tiny rubber band, that is more likely to stay on the bird's tiny legs.

http://nfss.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ez.png

Wouldn't those rubber band things get caught on stuff more easily though?

Chihuahua wrote: Wouldn't those rubber band things get caught on stuff more easily though?

I've never had the rubber bands get caught on anything, I have also never had a closed band get caught. I have however had the split plastic ones get caught on things.

I band adult birds that I buy for idendification purposes if they are not already banded.

wilkifam Chihuahua

What rubber things???

lovezebs These rubber things that are in the link:

Sally wrote: DamonIRB For the smaller waxbills, the National Finch and Softbill Society now sells a different kind of band, sort of like a tiny rubber band, that is more likely to stay on the bird's tiny legs.

http://nfss.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ez.png

I have put the split rings on adult birds before without any issues they peck at them for a little while, but then once they have gotten used to the ring, they are fine.

I just got 400 split rings and tomorrow, I am going to band the 5 juvenile painted firetails to get them ready for sale

I just finished banding the 5 juvie painted firetails... the first one I banded got such a shock from it, that it seems to have forgotten how to fly. I am sure that it is only going to be temporary.

When banding adult birds, I really like the rubber band type that Sally mentioned.

Sally

They look like coloured O rings

But they do look like a great idea! I might see if I can get them here in Australia