Danger of Leg Mutilation from the Use of Metal Color Bands

Abstract

Bird banders do not realize the incipient danger in the use of colored metal bands.Where two metal bands are mounted one over the other on the same ,leg, the .lowerone will flatten and icken :until it is a hazard to the ,bird's leg, if not its life.During he early spring of 1952, when summer residents were returning .to the vicinity of our ,banding station in Lexington, Massaehusetks, we first noted an occasional bird with one leg.As we saw more, and gave them our focused attention, we noted that the right foot was missing in all cases.Since we band on the right leg only, we were con-Vol.XXIV