QUESTION

We came across a dead bird with a leg band that read FF637 CPFA 04. How do we find out what kind of bird it was, and why it was banded? What should we do if we find another banded bird?

The Lessards, Loon Lake, Cobalt, Ont.

ANSWER

Most birds are banded by researchers hoping to learn more about our feathered friends. A web search for “CPFA,” however, told us your bird wasn’t banded for scientific reasons. It was a pigeon, and not just any pigeon, but a Canadian Exhibition Roller – a fancy show bird, descended from birds bred to perform backward somersaults in the air. The first five digits on the band you found are registeredto an individual, while CPFA standsfor the Canadian Pigeon Fanciers’ Association and ’04 is the birth date of the bird. According to CPFA band secretary Bob Jones, pigeon fanciers band birds for proof of ownership and to establish age, breed, and pedigree. (The CPFA website – www.pigeonfanciers.ca – details what to do if you find a banded pigeon.)

Your find was a bit of an out-flier, so to speak, as the great bulk of banded birds are migratory, with various markers such as coloured goose and swan collars, wing tags for vultures and eagles, and traditional metal or plastic leg bands. “Each recovery provides a precious nugget of knowledge that fills in an information gap,” says Jon McCracken, a program manager at Bird Studies Canada. Scientists use the data for many reasons: to track migratory patterns as well as the population and demography of species. That’s why it’s important for cottagers who find banded wild birds to call (800) 327-2263 or go to www.reportband.gov. The Bird Banding Office of the Canadian Wildlife Service receives about 35,000 reports annually, most from hunters. You’ll be asked for the band number, when and where the bird was found, the species, age, and sex of the bird (if known), whether it’s alive, trapped, or injured, and how it died. Bands can be hard to read, so use a magnifying glass or do a rubbing with pencil and paper; you can also send the flattened band directly. Those who report findings will receive a history of the bird including age, sex, species, where the bird was banded, and by whom. 

Steve Brearton

Published in the April/May ’07 issue of Cottage Life.