Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to search

Queensland and NSW floods 2022

Visit recovery.gov.au to see what help is available.

Close
Home

Top navigation main

  • News & media
  • Jobs
  • Ministers
  • Contact us
Main menu

AWE Main

  • Climate change
    Climate change Driving climate action, science and innovation so we are ready for the future.
    • Climate science and adaptation
    • Australia's climate change strategies
    • Emissions reduction
    • Emissions reporting
    • International commitments
    • Climate Active
    • Climate change publications and data
    • Australian Greenhouse Emissions Information System (AGEIS)
    Stronger action on climate change

    Stronger action on climate change

    See how the Australian Government is committed to taking more ambitious action on climate change.

    Find out more

  • Energy
    Energy Building a secure and sustainable energy system for all Australians.
    • Energy policy in Australia
    • Energy ministers
    • Renewable energy
    • Energy publications
    • energy.gov.au
    • Energy Rating
    • Commercial Building Disclosure Program
    • Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS)
    • Your Home
    Save on your winter energy bills

    Save on your winter energy bills

    Making energy-smart choices can reduce winter’s impact on your wallet.

    Find out more

  • Environment
    Environment Improving stewardship and sustainable management of Australia’s environment.
    • Bushfire recovery
    • Climate change and the environment
    • Biodiversity
    • EPBC Act
    • Environmental information and data
    • International activities
    • Invasive species
    • Land
    • Marine
    • Partnerships
    • Protection
    • Report a breach of environment law
    • Threatened species & ecological communities
    • Waste and recycling
    • Wildlife trade
    Waste exports

    New waste plastic export regulations

    The Australian Government works to reduce waste plastics and turn that waste into valuable products.

    Find out more

  • Water
    Water Improving the sustainable management of Australia’s water supply for industry, the environment and communities.
    • Coal, Coal seam gas (CSG) and water
    • Commonwealth Environmental Water Office
    • Water policy and resources
    • Wetlands
    Water matters

    Water Matters

    Keep up with the latest news on the department's work in managing Australia's water resources.

    Read the latest edition here

  • Parks and heritage
    Parks and heritage Managing Australia’s iconic national parks, historic places and living landscapes.
    • Australian Marine Parks
    • Australian National Botanic Gardens
    • Booderee National Park
    • Kakadu National Park
    • Christmas Island National Park
    • National parks
    • Norfolk Island National Park
    • Heritage
    • Pulu Keeling National Park
    • The Great Barrier Reef
    • Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park
    The reef

    Great Barrier Reef

    Australia is protecting and conserving this World Heritage Area.

    Find out more

  • Science and research
    Science and research Undertaking research and collecting data to support informed decisions and policies.
    • Climate change
    • Australia's biological resources
    • National Environmental Science Program (NESP)
    • Our science strategy
    • Australian Biological Resource Study (ABRS)
    • State of the Environment (SoE) reporting
    • Bird and bat banding
    • Supervising Scientist
    Our climate is changing

    Our climate is changing

    Find out more about how climate science helps Australians with the impacts of climate change.

    Find out more

  • About us
    About us We lead Australia’s response to climate change and sustainable energy use, and protect our environment, heritage and water.
    • Accountability and reporting
    • Assistance, grants and tenders
    • Contact us
    • Fees and charges
    • News and media
    • Our commitment to you
    • People and jobs
    • Publications
    • What we do
    • Who we are
    Our department has changed

    Our department has changed

    Learn more about our roles and responsibilities.

    Find out more

  • Online services
    Online services We do business with you using online platforms. This makes it easier for you to meet your legal requirements.
Department of Climate Change, Energy, Enviroment and Water

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Science and research
  3. Bird and bat banding
  4. About banding

Sidebar first - EN - Science

  • Bird and bat banding
    • About banding
      • Band design
      • Banding studies
      • Different marks
    • Banding data
      • Search the ABBBS database
    • Get involved
      • Guidelines for first time applicants
      • Report band sightings
        • Report band sightings form
    • Forms & publications

About banding

About banding

  • Why band?
  • Band design
  • Banding studies
  • Different marks

Why band birds and bats?

Attached band on Bird

Attached band on Bird

The next time you see a bird, ask yourself these questions:

  • How many of that type of bird are there?
  • Where does it live?
  • Does it mate for life?
  • How old is it and how long might it live?
  • How many eggs will it lay during its life? (if it is female!)
  • Does it fly far away from here?
  • Where will it go?
  • Where does it feed?

The answers to these questions are important to conserving our native birds, and the places where they live. Researchers who look for those answers often need to be able to recognise individual birds or groups of birds. One way is to attach bands or tags to the birds.

Researchers who use bands to study birds are called 'banders' . The Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme (ABBBS) helps this research by supplying numbered metal bands to banders. These bands are usually fitted around the bird's lower leg (or tarsus).

Each band is stamped with a different number and the ABBBS address. Since the banding scheme was started, over 2.6 million birds and bats have been banded and about 140,000 of these have been recaptured.

The role of the ABBBS is to:

  • help with training banders to use bands properly
  • advise on how best to collect and use banding information
  • store information about what birds have been banded
  • let banders know where and when their bands are found
  • arrange the design and manufacture of bands
  • supply bands and other equipment to banders.

Banding and recoveries

Like all research, a banding project starts with a question the bander wants to answer. The ABBBS can help banders decide how to collect the right information to answer their question. Bands are sent to the banders and their work begins. As time goes by, banders send the ABBBS information about where, when and what types of birds their bands were put on. The ABBBS records that information on computer. If one of those birds is caught again, the ABBBS can calculate the minimum distance it has travelled (of course, the bird may have travelled much further before being recaptured). The ABBBS then sends a letter to both the bander and the finder, telling them of the bird's history. Most parts of Australia are sparsely populated, so in most cases banders recapture birds which they themselves have banded. But sometimes banders catch a bird with someone else's band on it, and occasionally members of the public discover bands on injured or dead birds. When these recoveries are reported to the ABBBS, the information is passed on to the bander who banded the bird.

Do we have to use bands on birds and bats?

It is not always necessary to use bands to perform research on birds and bats. Sometimes there are other alternatives to using bands, including radio tracking and dyes. Occasionally it is not possible to use bands at all on some species, as the bands can irritate and injure the birds and bats. Some of the problems have become so serious that the ABBBS now restricts new banding projects that involve certain species of microbats. The details of this restriction are given below.

Moratorium on new microbat projects

In the process of revising the recommended band sizes for all Australian bat species we have found that the bands used on a number of Microchiropteran species are causing high rates of band injury. Based on these injury rates we are not prepared to approve any new permits for the banding of Microchiropteran bats and are, in fact, considering a moratorium on the banding of all members of the families Vespertilionidae, Emballonuridae and Molossidae.

Bat

For a number of species we have firm data indicating that serious band injury rates exceed 5%. We have little data on injury rates for other species but, based on information available on related species, we believe we should apply the 'precautionary principle' at this stage.

We feel that in the interests of bat welfare it would not be appropriate for us to continue allowing the use of bands on susceptible species. We are currently investigating some alternative methods of marking bats, including the use of Passive Induction Transponders (PITs).

We appreciate that this decision may significantly affect some research proposals and regret that we have had to make such a decision. We would be happy to consider any modifications to existing marking and banding techniques which might permit us to reconsider the situation. If anyone can suggest alternative methods of marking microchiropteran bats we would be happy to hear from you.

Find out more

  • History of bird banding in Australia
Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks! Your feedback has been submitted.

We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions.
To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Please verify that you are not a robot.

Skip

Footer

  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • FOI
Last updated: 03 October 2021

© Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.