How Do I Report a Bird Band?

If you have found or harvested a banded bird, please report it at www.reportband.gov. You will need the following information: band number (or numbers, if there is more than one band), when and where you encountered the bird, and how you recovered it. Your contact information will be requested in case there are any questions. The USGS Bird Banding Lab (BBL) will send you a certificate of appreciation that includes information about the sex, age and species of the bird, and where and when it was banded. You can keep the band!

I found a baby bird! What do I do now?

Each spring and summer, we recieve calls from concerned citizens who have found a baby bird outside the nest. If you can locate the nest nearby, the best thing to do is simply place the nestling back in the nest. If you cannot locate the nest, leave the nestling where you found it or move it to a shaded area. The parents will come back. Don't worry, your scent won't deter the parents!