1. The reporting letter should be addressed to: Bird Banding Office, Patuxent Research Refuge, Fish and Wildlife Service, Laurel, Md.
2. In the letter print the full number of the band, including the series designation and the serial number. The series designation may be a single letter or a two- or three-digit number and may be stamped to the left or over the serial number. The series designation, if a number such as "48" or "50," is not a date and should not be so interpreted. Full numbers are correctly written as: A-678901; 48-345920; 141-543678; 20-167; 496-00517; etc.
3. If the bird is alive and uninjured, read the number carefully without removing the band, and release the bird. It may be reported again. If it is dead, remove the band and, after flattening it out, attach it to the letter with scotch tape or surgical adhesive tape. Should it be desired as a souvenir, it will be returned upon request.
4. Give in the report the exact date, the location (town, county, State, etc.) and the manner in which the bird was obtained, that is, whether it was shot, found dead, trapped, etc.
5. Print your own name and permanent address clearly on the letter.
6. Keep a record of the band number and refer to it should there be any subsequent correspondence about it with the Service. The number is always the clue to any record of a banded bird.
Some bands may bear the inscription "Notify F. and Wildlife Service, Washington, D. C." or "Notify Biological Survey, Washington, D. C.," and on the smaller sizes these may be abbreviated to "F. and W. Serv. Wash. D. C." or "Biol. Surv. Wash. D. C."
All reports of the recovery of banded birds will be acknowledged with the name of the bird, the date and place where it was banded, and the name and address of the bander.
The banding of birds is done by regular officers of the United States and Dominion Services, by biologists and technicians of the States and Provinces, and by volunteer cooperators who are specially licensed under the provisions of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The banding of migratory waterfowl is largely restricted to Federal and State officers and is done chiefly in refuge areas. Most nongame birds are banded by volunteer cooperators who are scattered over the United States, Canada, and Alaska. The bands are furnished without charge by the Service but each station operator supplies his own traps and other equipment.
To participate in this work, certain rules must be adhered to. Applicants for banding permits: