standardization of records keeping in indian zoos - Central Zoo ...

Since ear tags do occasionally come loose, tattoos or transponders may be used in
conjunction with tags, but for quick identification without restraint, ear tags appear to
be still the best method.
5. MARKING OF BIRDS/ PHEASANTS FOR IDENTIFICATION
For a marking procedure to be effective, it should meet as many of the following
criteria as possible (Marion and Shammis 1977).
1. The bird should experience no immediate or long term hindrance or irritation.
2. The marking should be quick and easy to apply.
3. The marking codes (digits or colors) should be readily visible and distinguishable.
4. The bird should suffer no adverse effects on its behavior, longevity or social life.
5. Careful methods should be made of all aspects of the marking procedure.
In special cases it may be possible to identify individuals on the basis of unique
markings or vocalizations without the necessity of handling or attaching markers to
them.
METHODS FOR MARKING BIRDS
5.1 Leg Ring or Leg Band
Leg bands are available in a large range of sizes to suit all birds and pheasants.
They are manufactured from a range of materials the most common being plastic,
aluminum and stainless steel.
Closed bands are circular and seamless. They are made of stainless steel,
aluminum or plastic and come in a variety of colors and sizes . The band is placed on
a baby bird, about 2-3 weeks of age, by sliding the band over the foot to the leg
portion. As the bird grows, the feet become too large for the band to fall off. Removal
can only be accomplished by cutting the band off. This permanency makes closed
bands a more reliable method of identifying a bird than open bands which can be
opened and substituted.
An open band is a piece of metal which has been bent into the form of a
circle. The ends of the band do not meet and are separated by a space to enable them
to be placed on a mature bird's leg. After placement, the ends are then pinched
together until they meet. Open bands are used on older birds whose feet are too large
for banding with a closed band.
Colored plastic and celluloid leg bands are a great aid for quick visual
identification. They provide a means of individually recognizing birds in the field
without recapturing them. When bands of the proper size are used few adverse effects
of color bands have been reported (cf. Nisbet 1991). However some studies have
shown that certain band colors, especially those that are similar to plumage or soft
part colors involve din social signals, may affect mating attractiveness, dominance
status, or aggression (e.g. Burley 1981, 1985, 1986a,b; Burley et al.1982;Johnson et
al. 1993; Holder and Montgomerie 1993) in some species. It may be important to
consider that some colors of commercially available celluloid bands fade. After two
years or so they may be unrecognizable (Anderson 1980; Hill 1992; Lindsay et al.
1995). UV- stable bands are available from several suppliers. Most colors of UV-
stable plastic remain bright for several years. Blue bands fade relatively quickly.
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