Leg Rings

[Animalzoo]

I'm an amateur breeder and I am expanding my collection and breeds. I don't know anything about ringing babies and would like a pointer in the right direction. Why do people ring their birds, and am I required to ring them when selling them to pet stores or to private individuals?
I have looked into them and know there are plastic ones you can put on adults but then i also know of the aluminium types that go on young chicks. I've seen on bigger birds like budgies that the rings are engraved with birth years and other information. Where do you buy them from?

Thanks.

[Sally]

Since you are in Spain, one source of leg bands is Hughes, which is in the U.K. They have split plastic, split aluminum, and closed aluminum. You can have bands engraved with whatever you wish.

http://www.achughes.com/

I don't know what the regulations are in Spain as far as banding and selling birds. I believe in Europe, there are rules on selling unbanded birds. The bands prove that the birds are domestic and not imported, as many if not most species are no longer imported legally into European countries. I'm really not sure of the regulations, someone from Europe would be better informed to help you on this.

[Rox]

I only use the plastic split rings and I use them to keep track of bloodlines and family groups, which is the reason most people ring their birds. For example all chicks from pair A get pink rings and all chicks from pair B get blue rings. This way I know which birds I can pair up at a later stage without interbreeding.

Some countries require birds to have closed rings, especially if you are part of a club. You would have to check with your local club (if you are part of one) what their requirements are. Closed rings are often used to prove that the birds were bred in captivity. This is especially useful for species like waxbills which are still imported from the wild. You can order rings with the year stamped on (to prove year of birth) and can have other details stamped on like the name of your bird stud for example or just numbers. Ie. 2016-1, 2016-2. It all really comes down to record keeping.

[Animalzoo]

Thanks. I'm not part of a club so would probably use the split plastic rings for recording parentage and family lines as you say. I had a look at the achughs.com website and its making more sense so I'll get some ordered and go from there.