Band Color
The color of federal bands is Metal.
Field readable color bands may be Black, Dark Blue, Dark Green, Maroon, Orange, Red, and Yellow. Some orange field readable bands have faded to light orange, but they are still considered orange.
| Black Bands | Dark Blue Bands |
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| Dark Green Bands | Maroon Bands |
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| Orange Bands | Faded Orange Bands |
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| Red Bands | Yellow Bands |
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Bands without field readable codes may be any of the colors above except maroon or also Lavender, Light Blue, Light Green, Magenta, or White. If a bird has two color bands in the same location on the leg, such as a red band above a yellow band, it should be written as Red/Yellow.
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In the left-hand photo, the colors are Metal/Yellow (right leg) and Orange (left leg). In the right-hand photo, the upper left colors are Orange/Dark Green. The upper right color is Light Green, and the lower left color is Red.
Even if you aren't sure of the color, submit the sighting. If possible attach a photo to assist with identifying the color.
Photos by The Nature Conservancy Virginia Coast Reserve, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, John Ennis, Hannah Meddaugh, New Jersey Department of Fish and Wildlife, Lindsay Addison, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Patrick Leary, and North Carolina State University.