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Bands (Rings)

Bird bands (or rings) are a standardized method to identify individual birds in the field. Each band is engraved with a unique identifier code, allowing researchers to track movements, survival, and other biological data over time.

Xolmis is prepared to work with the Brazilian National Banding System (SNA – Sistema Nacional de Anilhamento), where each band is engraved with:

  • A size code (a letter indicating the band size), and
  • A unique sequential number for that size.

Info

The Brazilian National Banding System (SNA – Sistema Nacional de Anilhamento) is the official program responsible for regulating and coordinating bird banding activities in Brazil. It is managed by CEMAVE – the National Center for Research and Conservation of Wild Birds (Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Aves Silvestres). CEMAVE operates under ICMBio – the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade), which is a federal autarchy linked to the MMA – Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (Ministério do Meio Ambiente e Mudança do Clima).

The roles of SNA are:

  • Coordination: Oversees all bird banding activities across the country, ensuring standardized methods and data collection.
  • Authorization: Issues permits for researchers and institutions to capture, band, and study wild birds.
  • Database management: Maintains the national repository of banding records, supporting scientific research and conservation policies.
  • Integration: Connects local projects with national and international initiatives, contributing to global knowledge on bird migration and ecology.

The SNA is essential for:

  • Monitoring bird populations and migration routes.
  • Supporting conservation strategies for threatened species.
  • Providing reliable data for ecological and environmental research.
  • Ensuring that banding activities follow ethical and legal standards.

Note

We plan to include support for other national and international banding systems. Contributors familiar with these systems are welcome to collaborate. Contact us if you are interested.

Open the Bands module in the main menu: Management → Bands.

Adding or editing bands

When creating or editing a band record, the following fields are available:

Field Required Description
Size Yes Band size according to CEMAVE standard (Brazil)
Number Yes Unique sequential number for the band
Prefix Optional prefix for the band code
Suffix Optional suffix for the band code
Type Yes Type of band (metal, plastic, color, etc.)
Color Band color (especially for plastic/color bands)
Status Yes Current status or fate of the band (available, used, lost, destroyed)
Source Yes How the band was obtained or retrieved
Supplier Yes Supplier or institution that provided the band
Requester Yes Person or institution that requested the band
Carrier Person currently holding the band
Project Project to which the band is linked
Notes Any additional information about the band

Adding a new batch

New batch of bands dialog

The New batch dialog allows you to add multiple bands at once, sharing common attributes such as size, type, source, and supplier. Every number from the Start number to the Final number will be added as an individual band record.

Field Required Description
Size Yes Band size code for the batch
Type Yes Type of band
Start number Yes First band number in the sequence
Final number Yes Last band number in the sequence
Project Project to which the batch is linked
Source Yes How the batch was obtained
Order number Protocol or order number for the batch
Order date Date when the batch was ordered
Receipt date Date when the batch was received
Supplier Yes Supplier of the batch
Requester Yes Person or institution that requested the batch
Carrier Person who will keep the bands
Sender Person who transferred the batch

Transferring bands

Transfer bands dialog

To transfer a batch of bands to another bander:

  1. Click the More options button .
  2. Fill in the transfer dialog:
Field Required Description
Transfer date Yes Date of the transfer
Size Yes Band size code of the batch
Start number Yes First band number in the sequence
Final number Yes Last band number in the sequence
Requester Yes Bander to whom the bands will be transferred

Click Save to record the transfer for each band number. To view transfer records, open the band history of each transferred band.

Band history

The Band history dialog displays all transactions for a specific band, including:

  • Ordered
  • Received
  • Transferred
  • Used (banded an individual)
  • Lost
  • Broken

This ensures traceability and compliance with national banding systems.

Bands balance

Bands balance dialog

The Bands balance view shows:

  • The quantity of bands available for each size
  • The average number of bands used per day
  • The maximum number of bands used in a single day

These indicators help predict when to reorder bands:

  • Rows highlighted in yellow indicate low stock.
  • Rows in red indicate that all bands of a particular size have been used.

Right-click on the list to access the popup menu:

  • Refresh or press F5 to update values
  • Export CSV to save the list as a CSV file
  • Print to generate a report (printable or exportable as PDF)

Best practices

  • Always record transfers to maintain traceability.
  • Report band usage and losses promptly to comply with national systems.
  • Use projects to organize bands by research activity.
  • Keep balance updated to avoid running out of bands during fieldwork.
  • Check band history before reusing or reallocating bands.

Relation to other modules

Bands are directly linked to:

  • Individuals: each used band is associated with a bird record.
  • Captures: each capture is associated with a band.
  • Projects: bands can be tied to specific research projects.
  • Institutions and researchers: suppliers, requesters, and carriers are linked to registered institutions and people.

This integration ensures that banding data is consistent across the database and supports long-term monitoring of bird populations.