[bwild]

This stems from a comment on the "No Band Club" Thread about shooting drake mallards as they tend to have more bands. As this forum member stated, several types of ducks are banded. I know this to be true just from some of my friends experiences.

So my question is this: What is the most, dare I say, uncommon bird that you've shot that was banded? And when I say uncommon, meaning you wouldn't think the bird to be commonly banded (i.e. a GWT hen).

Anyone?

 

[Teton]

I have a band from a Green Wing Teal drake, shot in 2003.

 

[sprigkiller09]

I killed a wood duck drake with a band that was pretty cool, I knew they banded them but i knew it wasnt many.

 

[bwild]

I killed a wood duck drake with a band that was pretty cool, I knew they banded them but i knew it wasnt many.

Where'd you get that (if you don't mind me asking)? Summer Lake?

 

[Lucky Lunker]

I shot a banded Gadwall at Summer Lake a couple years back.

 

[spoonkilr]

I killed a greenwing banded and a banded gadwall. The Drake woodduck would be rare because most woodducks bands are put on hens because they are caught on nest to band. I have personally banded approx. 50 woodducks ALL HENS!! --goodl uck this year and be careful--spoonkilr

 

[iampapajack]

Shot a banded Dove in So Cal banded over 1000 miles north

 

[Tar Heel]

Shot a drake scaup in NC banded in the great lakes region several years prior.

 

[thehunt]

I would say the "rarest" band I have shot is a GWT killed about 11 years ago. My buddy shot a widgeon band last year, that is one I really hope to get some day.

As for Greenheads having more bands than any other duck, maybe mallards in general, but not greenheads. That is a generalization some may come to as a conclusion, simply because they don't shoot hens.

 

[MarshBum]

That is a generalization some may come to as a conclusion, simply because they don't shoot hens.

I try not to shoot them, but as we all know, sometimes it happens.

The pens they use to trap the birds don't descriminate between drakes and hens. I don't think they band when hens are on nests, so there should be no reason why there are more drakes banded than hens.

Not that I'm saying people should start shooting more hens. That would be insane.

Geoff

 

[FeatherBusterOSU]

Killed a banded green wing drake last year.

 

[Eric Strand]

I killed a banded bufflehead a few years ago. That was definitely very unexpected. When banding you band anything that is in the trap from ducks and geese to swans, shorebids, coot etc.

" Shoot em with their feet down "
Eric Strand

 

[007SPRIG]

A few years back "the hunt" and I were invited to go band ducks at Summer Lake. We were dog tired after having packed out his latest trophy so we passed. They were banding birds at night. I asked if they ever band spoonies and the answer was they band whatever they trap. So I guess spoonies are way smarter when they can't fly because we all know that when they can fly they aren't the smartest thing with wings. As far as more greenheads than hens being banded my 2 cents says they can't tell during the molting period. Also hens are killed while sitting on their nests so there may be more greenheads to be trapped. Anybody know if bill coloration changes on adult birds during the molting period?

I shot a banded bandtail pigeon.

 

[MountainLion84]

I found one on a dead commorant once.

 

[greenheadgunner]

banded redhead drake in texas

 

[sprigkiller09]

Where'd you get that (if you don't mind me asking)? Summer Lake?

I got it down near corvallis and it was banded near suver about 35 miles fromw here it was killed. Nice fully mature drake though. He was banded two years earlier.

 

[thehunt]

A
I shot a banded bandtail pigeon.

Would that make it a "bandleg pigeon"?:jester:

 

[Chesapeake]

I helped with banding one time. They baited the birds in and then caught them with a rocket net thing. We sexed, sampled, and banded every bird caught, there was no discrimination other than that they tried to target a given species when setting up the rocket net.

 

[nitrobass]

The rarest band I've shot was a hen pintail that was banded and was wearing a radio transmitter. Put me down for a banded canvasback, redhead, lesser scaup(shot at siltcoos lake, banded in the yukon 11 years prior), wood ducks, gadwalls, and mallards. I'd love to shoot a banded teal or a wigeon but a Russian banded snow goose would really be a cool one.

My dad shot a canvasback years ago that was banded at Chesapeake Bay...that was a rare one. Also a bufflehead hen that had a leg band and a goofy orange thing on its bill(that got it killed) shot on Davis Lake, banded in Canada.

 

[sprigkiller09]

Also hens are killed while sitting on their nests so there may be more greenheads to be trapped. Anybody know if bill coloration changes on adult birds during the molting period?

I shot a banded bandtail pigeon.

From my experience yes the bills do change. To a more olive green and much more drab but i think with mature birds they can be told apart through bill coloration. They have other ways of sexing them though, like the speculum if it is present or they will do like they like they do in the goose station (manually). Often times when being handled they will be vocal which is a dead give away.

ps Banded bandtail that is awesome!!!