Wildlife Band Reading

Many of our wildlife have been banded to aid in their identification. Birds are banded with leg bracelets. Tuatara are banded with a set of beads on their neck. Here you can find out how to read the bands and also find out what some of the bands mean.

Birds

In general, read the leg-bands from top-to-bottom on the left leg, then top-to-bottom on the right-leg (see below for examples). The following colour abbreviations are commonly used:

The colours displayed here are approximations only, and will also depend on your computer monitor. Further clarification between the various greens and blues may be found in these photos:

Blue legbands with abbreviations		Green legbands with abbreviations

This kaka has yellow and blue bands on its left leg and a single red band on its right let. This combination is written YB-R. Photo by Tom Lynch

Kaka

• All kaka have 3 coloured metal bands on their legs in unique combinations.
• On one leg there will be a single large band, and on the other leg two narrow bands.
• You need to read the combination of 2 narrow bands from top to bottom (elbow to claw), identify which leg these bands are on, and what colour is on the other leg.
• You write the band combination as left leg-right legs.

Hihi (Stitchbird), Bellbird (Korimako), and Robin (Toutouwai)

Hihi, bellbirds and robins are identifed with 4 bands - 2 on each leg. On one leg there is a plastic band over a metal band. On the other leg is two plastic bands. The combination of the 4 bands uniquely identifies the individual bird.

To read the bands, read from top-to-bottom on the left leg, then top-to-bottom on the right-leg (this of course assumes the bird is upright!). Shown here are three examples:

This male bellbird has Black (K) over metal (M) on left, and Red (R) over Orange (O) on right. The combination is written KM-RO. Photo by Tom Lynch		This juvenile hihi has White (W) over Green (G) on left, Black (K) over metal (M) on right. The combination is written WG-KM Photo © Raewyn Empson		This juvenile robin has Red (R) over Red on left, and White (W) over metal (M) on right. The combination is written RR-WM.

Tuatara

Tuatara with beads: RGY (red, green, yellow). Photo by Tom Lynch

All the tuatara have been individually marked with a unique combination of beads adjacent to their neck crest. The larger animals may have 3 beads each side, the smallest 1 bead. The beads on each side are a mirror image of the other so you only need to see the beads on one side. To record the colour combination, list the bead colours in order from the outside edge to the inner-most one next to the spine.