Celis-Murillo, Antonio
Malorodova, Margarita
Nakash, Elaine
20221027
North American Bird Banding Program Dataset 1960-2022 retrieved 2022-07-14
digital data (CSV)
Laurel, MD
U.S. Geological Survey
https://doi.org/10.5066/P9BSM38F
https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbl/Bander_portal/login/main_login.php
The North American Bird Banding Program is directed in the United States by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL), Eastern Ecological Science Center at the Patuxent Research Refuge (EESC) and in Canada by the Bird Banding Office (BBO), Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). The respective banding offices have similar functions and policies and use the same bands, reporting forms and data formats. Data contributors are US and Canadian bird banding permit holders: federal, state, tribal, local government, non-government agencies, business, university and avocational biologists.
Bird banders capture wild birds and mark them with a metal leg band with a unique 9-digit number. Extra markers may be added. Attributes of a bird such as age, sex, condition, molt and morphometrics may be taken before the bird is released.
This long-term dataset is made up of over 76 million bird banding records with over 1,000 species, and 5 million encounter records with nearly 800 species. Federal bands are used on species included in the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). Banding, encounter and recapture records are available for years 1960 to present.
The data is curated at BBL on a daily basis, therefore each yearly version may differ from previous releases.
The BBL produces one data release annually. Each yearly release is available for request.
Data quality is established by contributors submitting their data. Incoming data must pass automatic validation rules to meet quality standards, and in some cases additional validation is conducted by staff at BBL and BBO.
It is imperative to understand the codes used by the BBL and BBO. In early days of storage space restrictions for electronic data, an efficient system of codes was developed. Some examples include: bird status code, coordinate precision, inexact date, minimum age at encounter.
BBL terminology is important as well: an encounter refers to a sighting or direct encounter with a banded or auxiliary-marked bird by any person; recapture denotes a banded bird recaptured during banding operations; recovery refers a harvested gamebird.
Please cite as:
Celis-Murillo A, M Malorodova, E Nakash. 2022. North American Bird Banding Dataset 1960-2022 retrieved 2022-07-14. U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center at the Patuxent Research Refuge.
Bird banding data may be used to study avian movements and distribution, wildlife diseases, longevity and demography. Data are also used for developing effective science, management and conservation practices of gamebirds and songbirds.
1960
2022
ground condition
Annually
Global extent with focus on North America, U.S. Territories. Central America, Caribbean islands, South Pacific islands. 98% of banding records are located in NW quadrant of earth.
-180.0000
180.0000
90.0000
-90.0000
USGS Thesaurus
Aves
bird banding
migratory species
capturing (animals)
tagging
natural resource management
USGS Metadata Identifier
USGS:632b2d7bd34e71c6d67bc161
Geographic Names Information System (GNIS)
North America
South America
Africa
Asia
Antarctica
Europe
Oceania
USGS Biocomplexity Thesaurus
Birds
Chesser, R. T., S. M. Billerman, K. J. Burns, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, B. E. Hernández-Baños, A. W. Kratter, I. J. Lovette, N. A. Mason, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen, Jr., D. F. Stotz, and K. Winker.
2021
Sixty-second Supplement to the American Ornithologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds (online).
ONLINE_REFERENCE
Chicago, IL
American Ornithological Society
http://checklist.aou.org/taxa
Gill, F & D Donsker (Eds)
2022
IOC World Bird List (v 12.2)
ONLINE_REFERENCE
Cleveland, OH
International Ornithologists Union
http://worldbirdnames.org/
Pyle, Peter
2008
Identification Guide to North American Birds, Parts I and II
digital data (CSV)
Point Reyes Station, CA
Slate Creek Press
Sibley, David
2000
The Sibley Guide to Birds
digital data (CSV)
New York, NY
Alfred A. Knopf
Bird Banding Laboratory
U.S. Geological Survey
mailing and physical
12100 Beech Forest Road
Laurel
MD
20708
United States
301-497-5500
bbl@usgs.gov
BBO staff
ECCC Bird Banding Office
mailing and physical
National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive (Raven Rd)
Ottawa
ON
K1A 0H3
Canada
613-998-0309
BBO_CWS@ec.gc.ca
expert advice;;identification keys
Taxonomic revisions by the American Ornithological Society (AOS) have resulted in many changes in bird classification over the past several decades. The Banding Offices acknowledge these changes and use common names assigned by AOS. AOS discontinued species numbers with the 7th edition of the checklist, and BBL continues to use numbers from the 6th edition with modifications. However, BBL maintains common names and species numbers where AOS has combined formerly acknowledged species. For a list of BBL species designations with 4-character alpha and numeric codes, and scientific and common names, refer to the species.csv lookup table included with the data release bundle for a particular year/version.
Most birds are identified to species in the data, some to subspecies. For some species, there is an "unidentified" category, to be used only for truly unidentifiable or intergrade individuals - not in place of subspecific designation. For the most part, federal bands are used on species included in the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). The taxa for which we have included formerly recognized species are: Townsend's Shearwater, Green-winged Teal, Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Brant, Tundra Swan, Great Blue Heron, Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Flicker, Savannah Sparrow, Seaside Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Yellow-rumped Warbler, and Palm Warbler. Some bird species are not banded with federal bands, and therefore are not represented in this dataset. These include gallinaceous birds (quail, turkey, grouse), and rock dove, or introduced species.
Kingdom
Animalia
Order
Aves
none
none
Antonio Celis-Murillo
U.S. Geological Survey
Bird Banding Laboratory Biologist
mailing and physical
12100 Beech Forest Road
Laurel
MD
20708
US
301-497-5808
acelis-murillo@usgs.gov
ECCC Bird Banding Office; bird banders, individuals reporting banded birds
Bird Banding Laboratory website data request.
https://www.usgs.gov/tools/explore-and-request-data-bbl
Explore and request data from the BBL. Banding and encounter data may be searched by common or scientific name, country, state/province, and range of years. Three request types are available: banding data only, banding data with related encounters (if any), and encounters data (related banding data are included).
Margarita Malorodova
U.S. Geological Survey
IT Specialist
mailing and physical
12100 Beech Forest Road
Laurel
MD
20708
US
301-497-5824
mmalorodova@usgs.gov
Attribute accuracy varies according to contributor. Quality control validation checks occur in data submission applications (desktop and web-based), and all incoming data are filtered in processes developed in the laboratory information management system. Values failing automatic filters are reviewed by BBL staff and communicated to the original contributors for corrections or confirmations.
Obfuscated locations: Prior to data release, locations for sensitive species and gamebird species are masked and generalized to a larger area. Sensitive species include diurnal raptors, US Threatened & Endangered, and Canadian Species at Risk Act (SARA) species. All banding and encounter records for sensitive species are released at a 10-minute block coordinate precision. Gamebirds include waterfowl, cranes, rails, woodcock, doves, crows and ravens. All gamebird bandings are released at a 1-degree block coordinate precision, and encounters are released at coordinate precisions as originally provided. Descriptions may be found in coordinates precision.csv lookup table included with the data release bundle for a particular year/version.
Inexact dates: Banding and encounter date fields are text-formatted and may contain inexact date codes such as 41, 82, 99. Descriptions may be found in the inexact_dates.csv lookup table.
Incoming data must pass through 50 logical filters before processing into database. A few examples of logical accuracy tests include:
Band numbers reported by banders must match band numbers issued to the permit.
For a particular band number, species reported at time of original banding must match any subsequent encounters for that band number (species mismatch filter).
A bird cannot be re-trapped if an encounter record with a present condition of 'dead' already exists in the database.
Terminal encounters in database: If present condition is one of unknown-removed (02), dead-unknown (03), dead-left on bird (04), dead-removed (05), alive/released-removed (08), alive/in captivity-removed (11), alive/unknown-removed (14); and count above is 0, count the number of records in the band history table with this band number, band event type =3 (encounter), present condition one of dead-unknown (03), dead-left on bird (04), dead-removed (05); and latest possibility for inexact date earlier that the earliest possibility for inexact date of this record. If count>0, then assign “2nd terminal encounter in database” (Enc Error ID 5= true) and enc error group D (duplicate).
Data set is considered complete for the information presented, as described in the abstract. Users are advised to read the rest of the metadata record carefully for additional details.
Accuracy varies widely. Google Earth, Google Maps may be used by BBL staff to confirm locations. Data contributors are contacted by BBL staff to resolve accuracy of horizontal locations.
No formal positional accuracy tests were conducted.
Field
Methods are unknown for individual contributors, unless part of a standard project such as Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) protocol, or guidelines established by the BBL North American Bird Banding Manual, North American Banding Council (NABC) manuals (nabanding.net/other-publications/), or other published accepted methods.
Banding data are collected in the field on behalf of permitted bird banders by the banders themselves or their assistants. Data were originally recorded on paper sheets (schedules) and sent to BBL where they were entered by staff into a database. Beginning in 2006, a series of desktop applications were developed by BBO and BBL for banders to validate and submit formatted banding and recapture records. As of 2022, the application most widely used is Bandit version 4.0. Data text files are created in Bandit, submitted to BBL and processed in to the main database where the records are subjected to a second more stringent round of validations. Encounters and re-sightings of banded birds are reported on the web at reportband.gov by members of the public, bird banders, or government officials. Encounter records are validated and formatted on the website, and are processed directly into the main BBL database. Records failing any validation rules are reviewed by BBL staff and resolved through communications with the banders or finders.
2022
Google Maps API, Google Earth, GeoNames, Geographic Names Index System (GNIS) are used to assign coordinates based on location descriptions. A modified version of GeoNames is maintained at BBL. Prior to digital data format, USGS topographic maps were used to locate data (7.5-minute quadrangle and 1:250k series).
Point
1.0E-5
1.0E-5
Decimal degrees
North American Bird Banding Program Dataset 1960-2022
Each year data are retrieved from NABBP database and stored as a static dataset to be used in the data request page. To translate coded values a set of files with lookup tables is provided along with data results package. Band numbers and bander permit numbers are obfuscated. There are two event types: bandings and encounters. Encounters are derived from two different record sources, encounters and recaptures. Bird species names in encounter records are verbatim, as reported by finder. Encounter species may have been reported as unknown. Certain codes are specific to banding records (for example bird status, extra_info, age, sex) and some codes are specific to encounters (how obtained, present condition, minimum age at encounter). Minimum age at encounter is calculated from age of bird at banding to date of encounter. Banding or encounter locations from United States or Canada include subdivisions (state/province); all other countries are reported as country only. Restrictions are applied to protect exact locations of gamebirds and sensitive species. Gamebirds, as defined in lookup table species.csv have locations generalized to country, state or 1-degree block. For raptors and endangered species, locations are generalized to a 10-minute block minimum resolution. All other species locations have coordinate precisions as reported.
North American Bird Banding Program
band
Unique 9-digit numeric identifier for individual federal metal band on bird at time of data retrieval. Band number is obfuscated.
Producer defined
B00066600530
B99953318979
original_band
Original band, usually (for original banding) is same as band. Unique 9-digit numeric identifier for individual federal metal band attached to bird at time of original banding. Band number is obfuscated.
Producer defined
B00066600530
B99953318979
other_bands
Unique 9-digit numeric identifiers for other federal metal bands on bird at some point in its life. Bands may be replaced during the lifetime of a bird. All bands associated with this bird other than this band are included here. Band number is obfuscated.
Producer defined
B00111076840
B99794803929
permit
Seven-digit numeric code preceded by the letter P which identifies a bird banding permit. Permit numbers are obfuscated.
Producer defined
P0050780
P9999999
event_type
Event_type.csv lookup table includes 2 event types: B-Banding, E-Encounter. Definition of encounter here includes record sources for both encounters and recaptures.
Producer defined
B
original banding
Producer defined
E
encounter or recapture events
Producer defined
event_date
Event date in format mm/dd/yyyy. Event date for a banding record is the date of release. Event date for encounter and recapture records is the date of capture or observation. This is a text field which may include inexact date values. Refer to lookup table inexact_dates.csv for definitions.
Producer defined
01/01/1960
99/99/2022
event_day
Day of month bird was banded, recaptured or encountered. This is a text field which may include inexact day values. Refer to lookup table inexact_dates.csv for definitions of inexact days.
Producer defined
01
99
event_month
Month of year bird was banded, recaptured or encountered. This is a text field which may include inexact month values. Refer to lookup table inexact_dates.csv for definitions of inexact month.
Producer defined
01
99
event_year
Year bird was banded, recaptured or encountered.
Producer defined
1960
2022
iso_country
Two-letter abbreviation of country for bird banding release location, country of capture for encounters and recapture location. 134 country designations are described in the lookup table country_state.csv.
ISO-3166
AA
ZZ
iso_subdivisions
Five-character code for US and Canada, empty for others. For example US-MD, CA-ON. For banding records, country subdivision represents location of bird release. For encounters and recaptures, subdivision represents location of bird capture. US and Canada only are subdivided to state and province, and are listed in the lookup table country_state.csv.
ISO 3166-1 country subdivisions
CA
US-WY
lat_dd
Location latitude in decimal degrees of bird banding, recapture or encounter record.
Producer defined
-83.41667
82.58333
decimal degrees
lon_dd
Location longitude in decimal degrees of bird banding, recapture or encounter record.
Producer defined
-179.91667
180
decimal degrees
coordinates_precision_code
coordinates_precision.csv lookup table includes numeric codes for 13 coordinate precision categories. All banding and encounter records for sensitive species are released at a 10-minute block coordinate precision (CP). Game birds include waterfowl, cranes, rails, woodcock, doves, crows and ravens. All bandings are released at a 1-degree block coordinate precision, encounters are released at coordinate precisions as they were originally provided.
Producer defined
0
72
species_id
A 4-digit numeric code developed by BBL to identify species. Species IDs are defined in lookup table species.csv. Additional designations include dead bird, hybrids and unidentified species.The species.csv lookup table also includes 4-character alpha codes, 4-digit numeric codes, common and scientific names, recommended band sizes, and species group designations for 1065 species of birds.
Producer defined
0000
9996
bird_status
Bird status is a single-digit numeric code describing aspects of bird or circumstances at time of banding. The bird_status.csv lookup table includes single-digit numeric codes and descriptions for 9 bird status categories (2-9. [ – ] represents a dead bird).
Producer defined
-
9
extra_info_code
A 2-digit numeric code used in conjunction with bird status code to describe additional aspects of bird or circumstances at time of banding. The extra_info.csv lookup table includes two-digit numeric codes for 43 bird status sub-categories.
Producer defined
--
99
age_code
Age.csv lookup table includes alpha codes, numeric codes and descriptions of 9 bird age categories.
Producer defined
0
8
sex_code
Sex.csv lookup table includes alpha codes, numeric codes and descriptions of 5 bird sex categories.
Producer defined
0
7
band_type_code
2-digit alphanumeric codes and descriptions of band types and closures are defined in the lookup table band_type.csv.
Producer defined
0
WP
band_status_code
Refer to band_status.csv lookup table for alphanumeric codes and descriptions of 10 band status categories. Range of values are 0-8, F,X.
Producer defined
0
X
how_obtained_code
Refer to how_obtained.csv lookup table for 2-digit numeric codes and descriptions of 69 how record was obtained categories. The how_obtained_code describes how a bird was obtained in encounter and recapture records.
Producer defined
00
98
who_obtained_code
Refer to who_obtained.csv lookup table for 2-digit numeric codes and descriptions of 10 categories. The who_obtained_code describes finder of a bird obtained in encounter and recapture records.
Producer defined
20
29
reporting_method_code
Refer to reporting_method.csv lookup table for 2-digit numeric codes and descriptions of 14 categories of reporting methods.
Producer defined
00
75
present_condition_code
Present condition refers to condition of bird and condition of band at time of encounter or recapture. Present_condition.csv lookup table includes 2-digit numeric codes and descriptions for 15 combinations of present condition.
Producer defined
00
14
min_age_at_enc
The minimum age of a bird at time of encounter or recapture is calculated using difference of dates between banding and encounter records. The decimal value translates to years and months (e.g. 12.25 = 12 years 3 months).
Producer defined
-0.5
57.67
record_source
Indicates source of record in NABBP database. The record_source.csv lookup table includes 3 record sources: B – banding record, E – encounter record, R – recapture record.
Producer defined
B
Banding record source
Producer defined
E
Encounter record source
Producer defined
R
Recapture record source
Producer defined
Each year's data are provided in 57 .csv files (comma-delimited with header, UTF8 encoded, no quotes) separated into bird species groups 01-57 (NABBP_2022_grp_01.csv through NABBP_2022_grp_57.csv.
Refer to readme_before_download.csv file for list of fields and species with corresponding group number to determine which file(s) to download.
To translate coded values, a folder with lookup tables is provided along with data results package.
Original bands, replaced band numbers and bander permit numbers are obfuscated.
There are two event types: bandings and encounters. Encounters are derived from two different record sources, encounters and recaptures.
Bird species names in encounter records are verbatim, as reported by finder. Encounter species may have been reported as unknown.
Certain codes are specific to banding records (for example bird status, extra_info, age, sex) and some codes are specific to encounters (how obtained, present condition, minimum age at encounter).
Minimum age at encounter is calculated from age of bird at banding to date of encounter.
Banding or encounter locations from United States or Canada include subdivisions (state/province); all other countries are reported as country only.
Restrictions are applied to protect exact locations of gamebirds and sensitive species. Gamebirds, as defined in lookup table species.csv have locations generalized to country, state or 1-degree block. For raptors and endangered species, locations are generalized to a 10-minute block minimum resolution. All other species locations have coordinate precisions as reported.
United States Geological Survey (USGS). Bird Banding Lab Banding Data Codes and Descriptions. https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/BBL/MANUAL/summary.cfm
U.S. Geological Survey
GS ScienceBase
mailing and physical
Denver Federal Center, Building 810, Mail Stop 302
Denver
CO
80225
United States
1-888-275-8747
sciencebase@usgs.gov
Unless otherwise stated, all data, metadata and related materials are considered to satisfy the quality standards relative to the purpose for which the data were collected. Although these data and associated metadata have been reviewed for accuracy and completeness and approved for release by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the display or utility of the data on any other system or for general or scientific purposes, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty.
Digital Data
https://doi.org/10.5066/P9BSM38F
0
Not required.
20221027
Antonio Celis-Murillo
U.S. Geological Survey
Bird Banding Laboratory Chief
mailing and physical
12100 Beech Forest Road
Laurel
MD
20708
USA
301-497-5808
acelis-murillo@usgs.gov
FGDC Biological Data Profile of the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata
FGDC-STD-001.1-1999