VMD 513: Pet animal Breeding, Management, Nutrition and Health Care (1+1)

WING BANDS

• Wing bands are used in larger birds such as eagles, brightly-coloured plastic tags are attached to birds' wing feathers.
• Each has a letter or letters, and the combination of colour and letters uniquely identifies the bird.
• These can then be read in the field, through binoculars, meaning that there is no need to re-trap the birds.
• Because the tags are attached to feathers, they drop off when the bird moults. 
•  A patagial tag is a permanent tag held onto the wing by a rivet punched through the patagium.