Here is a nifty little guide we've come up with to help people through the process of choosing a leg band. We hope you find it helpful! Remember that we are here Monday through Friday every week to answer your questions.

So you need to choose a leg band?

This can be a daunting task with so many choices available. How do you know which to pick? We’re going to go through it step by step together and simplify the process for you. Write down your answers as you go through this guide and by the end you will know exactly what you need!

Step One: Split or Closed?

Closed bands go on chicks' legs when they are 10-14 days old. Within a day or two their feet grow and the band can not be removed without being cut. It is a permanent marking system and the best way to prove that a bird is yours. Split bands can go on birds of any age. They are convenient for use on older birds or birds that were never banded as a chick. However, larger birds can sometimes pry them open or crush them onto their legs. Therefore, they are not recommended for use on large hookbills, and especially not for long-term use.

Closed bands are recommended if they are feasible to use, but if the bird is mostly or fully grown, split bands are the only option.

Step Two: What Size?

Size is extremely important. Normally, when we discuss size, we are specifically talking about the inner diameter. You do not want it so tight that it gets stuck on the leg or constricts blood flow, nor do you want it so loose that it could slip off or get stuck on things in the bird’s environment. Luckily, researchers have been taking measurements and sharing data for over a hundred years on the leg sizes of various species! Check out our sizing recommendations here: https://americanbirdbands.com/pages/sizing or contact us for suggestions. Keep in mind that these are just suggestions based on the species, and we cannot guarantee that they will be the right size for your bird. You can also ask around with breeders, researchers, and experts to see what size leg band they use. Keep in mind that different countries and companies may be using different sizing systems. Our sizes refer to the inner diameter of the band in millimeters.

Aside from the inner diameter, there are also two other dimensions: the height and the wall thickness. A short height is good for when the band should be inconspicuous and unobtrusive. It’s also good for birds with stubby legs, like parrots. A tall height is good for reading the bands at a distance, but should only be used on birds with long legs where it will not bother them.

Wall thickness is important when it comes to the durability of the leg band. Most birds do just fine with a relatively thin band (which also has the advantage of being lightweight), but birds with powerful beaks or who tend to pick at their bands need thick walls to keep it durable and safe.

Step Three: What Material?

There are a variety of plastics and metals used for banding across the world. We focus on two of the most popular types of metal: aluminum and stainless steel. Our aluminum is anodized and dyed in different colors, while the stainless steel is either 304 or 316 grade and comes only in silver. Aluminum is lighter and cheaper. Stainless steel is heavier, more expensive, and longer lasting. Many of our smaller bands (under 5mm) are only available in aluminum. Aluminum is a good choice for:

• small birds
• birds with relatively weak beaks
• birds with an average lifespan of 30 years or less
• temporary marking meant to be removed at a certain time
• when a variety of colors is desirable, such as for quick identification.
• Waterfowl, as anodized aluminum is corrosion-resistant

Stainless steel is recommended for:

• large birds, especially hookbills
• birds with strong beaks who can crush or otherwise distort lighter bands
• birds with long lifespans
• permanent marking

In the next step we will discuss the additional questions and choices regarding stainless steel. If you are choosing aluminum, you can skip to step four.

Step 3A: Additional Considerations for Stainless Steel

Here’s the quick rundown on stainless steel. It’s corrosion-resistant, but not necessarily corrosion-proof. It comes in various grades, with the two most common (and the only two we offer) being 304 and 316. They are very similar, but 316 is more rust-resistant. It can be either marked with a laser or stamped. Laser-engraved stainless steel bands have their own sets of problems and can rust if they are not properly cleaned and prepared. We put our laser-engraved leg bands through a lengthy multi-step process to restore their corrosion-resistance, but they are still not as corrosion-resistant as stamped bands.

Stainless steel leg bands are typically made in one of two ways: they can either be cut from sections of metal pipe or bent into shape from flat stock (and then soldered or welded shut for closed bands). For closed bands, the former is typically considered stronger, though it has disadvantages in terms of the time it takes to mark a round object. For split leg bands, both are equally strong and the bent bands have the advantage of being faster to mark.

Finally, there are the round-wire stainless bands. These were the predominant form of stainless steel bands for many years and are still preferred by some banders because they feel that they are less intrusive than the typical flat bands. However, the markings must be very small and thus can be difficult to read.

Stamped bands can be painted with some water-resistant black ink to make reading them easier. Please note that this ink will fade with time.

Step 4: Choose a Color

While stainless steel only comes in silver, aluminum comes in a variety of colors. We typically stock purple, green, gold, red, blue, black, brown and orange for all sizes. Other colors may be available for special order with a minimum quantity. Some organizations and clubs follow a system that associates the year of the bird’s hatching with different colors. For example, 2026 is green, 2027 is purple and 2028 is brown. These are not universal, and many breeders choose colors based on personal preferences or other considerations. We can also supply a mix of different colors.

Step 5: Choose An Engraving

There are few rules for most private bird breeders for what to put on their leg bands. Some states, such as Colorado, do regulate this. Some organizations also regulate what members can put on their leg bands, and this is important for record keeping as well as exhibiting. Wild bird banders in North America are federally licensed and must conform to federal regulations when deciding on leg band engravings. However, most private breeders simply choose what they want on their bands. Common engravings may include the initials of the breeder or aviary, the initials of the state or country, sequential numbering to differentiate the bands, and the year that the bird hatched. On larger bands one may put their name, address, and/or phone number as well. Typically if one elects to put the year on the band (which is considered best practice but can result in unused bands every year) the last two digits are engraved vertically, to differentiate them from any other numbers on the leg bands. How many characters can fit on a band? It depends on the size. For very small bands, try to keep it to 10. For small bands, 15. Large bands, 25. Some bands can accommodate two lines of text. We can always add more text by shrinking the font, but this may make it harder to read. For stamped bands, there is a limit of 13 characters, not including spaces.

Most of our customers desire sequential numbering on the bands so that each one is slightly different. That way, similar-looking birds can be differentiated. Some customers do not want this.

Okay, time to recap!