Help tracing a leg band

[KoaBird]

Hello Guys/Gals,

I am currently fostering a Mitered conure, age is unknown, breeder is unknown. The rescue organization has stated that they have 0 information on my little buddy, that he was a turn over to the org with nothing to go on. He/She does have a leg band that starts with "FL" anyone have any clue?? Ive googled the hell out of this and cant come up with anything. Any help is appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[Featheredsamurai]

Does the band look like this? If so I believe it's a QT band. Rosie's started with NY followed by 3 numbers. So Rosie went through a private QT band in New york, while yours would of gone through a QT station in Florida. Many parrots with open QT bands came in before 1993 when it became illegal to import them for the pet trade.

Because of Rosie's band I know she is at least 20.

 

[weco]

If it is a flat band, as opposed to a round band, it indicates the breeder was from Florida.

There is a group on yahoo groups that may be able to help you:

LegBandNumbers : Leg Band Numbers

 

[MonicaMc]

Here is the information I have for tracing leg bands.

If your breeder is listed, you might be able to find them here... (there were two previous sites that had a lot of information about leg bands on them, but have since been closed down)
New Leg Band Registry

A YH group that helps trace bands LegBandNumbers : Leg Band Numbers

A few places that produce leg bands may or may not help trace the band if it's one of theirs...
L_M_Bird Leg Bands Products Catalogue
Red Bird Products
DL Products - Leg Bands, Bird Bands, Bird Rings

Information on Leg Bands
Winged Wisdom Pet Bird Magazine - The ABC's Of Leg Bands - Identifying Birds
Interpreting Bird Bands
Choosing Your Bird



Additional information, if it's available on the leg band, would be required, in order to trace it. Perhaps even a photo of it.

 

[Karigan]

Tracing these things can be terribly annoying. I tried the AACC (Avicultural Advancement Council of Canada) and the only thing they were able to tell me was that in 2008 all of their records were destroyed somehow and the new receptionist or whoever she was could not track a bird born before then... It was really annoying.

The Yahoo group is worth checking out, but I find it's mostly everyone looking for a band and no one who actually knows where it's from. Every member when they first join sends out a group email to see is someone is familiar with their bird's band, but if no one contacts you soon there's a good chance you won't get an answer, just a lot of people pouring their band questions into your junk mail.

 

[MonicaMc]

I've only ever tried tracing one band of a bird I owned (majority of my birds have never had bands to begin with), and it was an AFA band, so it was pretty simple.

If I search for a band for other people, I try the leg band registry (used to be Buddys Friends, which mysteriously disappeared, then a second one started up after that, but didn't last long, and Pionus Parrot website has since taken up creating a new one, but since it's relatively new, it's lacking a lot of information), then I use the Leg Band Numbers group. I go to the Database and search through all the gathered data there, then search through messages.

If both searches turn up nothing, I then do a Google search. Sometimes I've been able to help owners locate the breeder, other times I've come up empty handed. One owner had actually tried himself and was unable to find the breeder of his cockatoo for several years. Somehow, miraculously, I found the info for him, but not before coming across some websites that were adult rated! That alone made it more difficult!

If those resources are exhausted and no info found, my next suggestion to owners is to contact the leg band manufacturers and see if they are willing to provide the breeders information - and some have found the breeder through that method. That is, assuming there is no logo on the band for an organization of breeders.

 

[KoaBird]

Thanks for responses! I have tried googling lol trust me but I can not find ANY info on bands with FL, its an aluminum flat silver color. no info at all ive rotated it alllllllllllllll the way around and nada just FL followed by 3 letters and 3 numbers. Do you have a Mitered conure?? I saw that you have a pic of one in your member picture.

I've only ever tried tracing one band of a bird I owned (majority of my birds have never had bands to begin with), and it was an AFA band, so it was pretty simple.

If I search for a band for other people, I try the leg band registry (used to be Buddys Friends, which mysteriously disappeared, then a second one started up after that, but didn't last long, and Pionus Parrot website has since taken up creating a new one, but since it's relatively new, it's lacking a lot of information), then I use the Leg Band Numbers group. I go to the Database and search through all the gathered data there, then search through messages.

If both searches turn up nothing, I then do a Google search. Sometimes I've been able to help owners locate the breeder, other times I've come up empty handed. One owner had actually tried himself and was unable to find the breeder of his cockatoo for several years. Somehow, miraculously, I found the info for him, but not before coming across some websites that were adult rated! That alone made it more difficult!

If those resources are exhausted and no info found, my next suggestion to owners is to contact the leg band manufacturers and see if they are willing to provide the breeders information - and some have found the breeder through that method. That is, assuming there is no logo on the band for an organization of breeders.

 

[MonicaMc]

It's the three letters and three numbers that are important... lol

The three letters would denote breeder name/initials or the aviary, and the three numbers would be the birds ID.


And yes, I do own a mitred conure. The bird pictured is actually a wild cherry headed conure in San Francisco. I used to own a cherry head, but he has, unfortunately, passed away. The mitred, Charlie, was given to me in the hopes that they would be friends, but they never got along. I loved the photo of the wild one, as my own used to love chewing on an apple tree...


Here's a photo of Charlie (mitred) next to Noel (cherry head).

Mitred is actually spelled with one e, and pronounced "my-turd"- or at least, that's how I like to say it, cause Charlie is my little brat! Do you have photos of the one you are fostering?

 

[KoaBird]

Here is the little guy/gal I am fostering. I have no idea if its a boy or girl, sadly I have 0 info on him/her and neither does the org that brought him to my home. The people that were fostering prior to me were feeding some neon colored pellets *gag* ....as you can see below he digs mangos, papaya, spinach and amazingly I have him starting to really like Harrison's.

I am trying to figure out how old he/she is, hopefully still has plenty of years left

It's the three letters and three numbers that are important... lol

The three letters would denote breeder name/initials or the aviary, and the three numbers would be the birds ID.


And yes, I do own a mitred conure. The bird pictured is actually a wild cherry headed conure in San Francisco. I used to own a cherry head, but he has, unfortunately, passed away. The mitred, Charlie, was given to me in the hopes that they would be friends, but they never got along. I loved the photo of the wild one, as my own used to love chewing on an apple tree...


Here's a photo of Charlie (mitred) next to Noel (cherry head).

Mitred is actually spelled with one e, and pronounced "my-turd"- or at least, that's how I like to say it, cause Charlie is my little brat! Do you have photos of the one you are fostering?

 

[MonicaMc]

He (?) is gorgeous!!!! I'm actually surprised he was identified as a mitred conure, since many are mistakenly identified as cherry heads. In fact, that's how Charlie was given to me! But the moment I saw him, I knew he wasn't a cherry head!

Charlie is a Northern Mitred Conure. The one you are fostering is a Tucuman Mitred!


At least he eats well! LOL

 

[weco]

If memory serves, bands with just the state designated which breeding facility a bird came from & the breeding facility was of the large warehouse operation type breeding for chain pet stores.....it's only been in the last ten years or so that there has been a movement toward source accountability for pet-mill pets, but with only a band stamped FL, I seriously doubt there is any paper trail available, unless you were to pursue DNA tracing & I have no idea where you would start, unless you were lucky enough to find out the breeding facility...and...there were any recoverable records available.

 

[KoaBird]

yeah "he" lol for all I know it's a she haha but fostering for slightly over a week and finally cuddling with me he/she is molting at the moment too,lots of pin feathers when you look into feathering. Had to have his nails trimmed they were insane long! Makes me wonder how foster parents cant say "Hey he needs a vet visit!" And yes he is eating well I want him to live might end up adopting him lol btw how do u know its a Tucuman mitred??

He (?) is gorgeous!!!! I'm actually surprised he was identified as a mitred conure, since many are mistakenly identified as cherry heads. In fact, that's how Charlie was given to me! But the moment I saw him, I knew he wasn't a cherry head!

Charlie is a Northern Mitred Conure. The one you are fostering is a Tucuman Mitred!


At least he eats well! LOL

 

[MonicaMc]

He/she has more red than my mitred conure. Mitred conures have 1 nominate species and 2 subspecies.

Here's info about them
Lexicon of Parrots

Although this site only recognizes two
Mitred Conure (Aratinga mitrata) | Parrot Encyclopedia

And this...
Mitred Parakeet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


weco, this mitred conure has the state, 3 letters and 3 numbers. None of us can try to find out more information without those three letters.

 

[Molcan2]

Does the band look like this? On the inside of Rome's band its purple, the outside obviously silver. I have been trying to trace Rome's since we got her and have pretty much given up . Her band has: S then FL turned sideways then 1420, I cant find hers anywhere.

 

[KoaBird]

FL S A B 478 is what it states, havent had any luck finding it anywhere.

so what are the three letters and the numbers?

 

[MonicaMc]

Hmm... that's a tough one indeed. Searches so far came up with a SABF and NYS(?) but not one that matches yours. Will require further digging.

 

[Evaine]

Good evening I was wondering if you had any success in finding your breeder. I have a nanday conure named jesse that I adopted from the shelter and I too am trying to find out his/her age.

Jesse has a flat silver closed leg band with the letters and numbers AR CA 6522. I've asked my local aviary vet about the band and stated the AR is the breeder the CA is the state. If anyone has any information it would be greatly appreciated

 

[Merlee]

Interesting topic! Don't breeders have to be licensed in every state so can't the breeder be traced through a health inspection agency dealing with animals? For some reason I cannot remember which department this would fall under.

 

[Evaine]

I've checked many websites that are suppose to have breeders I'd numbers in their data base. But haven't been able to find this particular breeder. My next step is to call the different manufacturers and see if they can't tell me which breeder this leg band belongs to. Who would of thought finding a specific breeder would be so hard.

 

[MonicaMc]

Breeders do not need to be licensed in order to breed... and there is no official registery of breeders, unless they are affiliated with the AFA or some other organization that sells leg bands with their logo or initials.

LegBandNumbers group has by far the best amount of breeders by leg band, but even they don't have all breeders!