# Bands for Pigeons-Need Help!



## RayPember (Dec 2, 2011)

It's $20 dollars a year (which isn't that bad) to be registered with the NPA. I have NPA bands, but I'm not registered with them. What is the point of the bands? I just keep pigeons as a hobby, not for show. At least not yet. So do I need the bands, what service would that provide for the animals? What does anyone suggest I should do? I have Satinettes, and I hope to start breeding soon and I will band the babies with colored numbers and things like that, but should I band them with the NPA bands?


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## almondman (Aug 22, 2009)

Number one reason, in my opinion, is to identify the bird if it gets out, lost, stolen, etc. anyone finding the bird can call with the number and find out who had the band. If you spent $20.00 on a good Satinette, it gets loose, and you have it returned, you have already been paid back.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

It's easier to keep breeding records with bands and if the birds get lost, they can be traced back to you regardless of whether you are a member of the NPA or not.


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## RayPember (Dec 2, 2011)

How do they trace the birds back to me via bands if I'm not affiliated?


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## almondman (Aug 22, 2009)

Where did you get the bands?


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

I think the seller keeps track of the bands and can be tracked back to the NPA. I would think thats how it works.


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## norwich (Jul 29, 2009)

The bands can be traced back to whomever sold them and then who they sold them to. Banding birds gives a breeder the year the bird was bred. A lot of fanciers will not purchase birds that are not banded. Check the NPA website to see if joining is for you. You do not have to be a member to use their bands


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

If you buy them from a pigeon supply store, a club, or straight from the association/organization itself, they all keep records of who buys what band. Although if you buy them from an individual as "second-hand" bands, you'd have to rely on that person to keep track of it because they will still be under his/her name with whoever he bought them from. 


For example, I buy bands from a pigeon club, then I sell/give them to you. If your bird gets lost and it gets traced to the club, they will only have a record of me buying them. So they would contact me and I would have to let you know. A lot of people don't keep records of the bands they sell/give away, especially if they were leftovers after breeding season. Some don't even keep track of the band numbers of birds they sell/give away. But the bands will be traced to someone, somewhere.


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

RayPember said:


> It's $20 dollars a year (which isn't that bad) to be registered with the NPA. I have NPA bands, but I'm not registered with them. What is the point of the bands? I just keep pigeons as a hobby, not for show. At least not yet. So do I need the bands, what service would that provide for the animals? What does anyone suggest I should do? I have Satinettes, and I hope to start breeding soon and I will band the babies with colored numbers and things like that, but should I band them with the NPA bands?


If you breed and want any good record on your breeding you need to use bands. They have 1 the year born on them. 2 a number that can be recorded on them. And 3 a way to track what you did with them and whast you bred from them. Not banding them is like having a car but nat any tires. You have it but can not drive it. If the birds are not worth banding then they are not worth keeping. NPA has long been a place to get bands you do not have to be a member. being a member is a plus but not the must.


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## 2y4life (Apr 5, 2010)

RayPember said:


> It's $20 dollars a year (which isn't that bad) to be registered with the NPA. I have NPA bands, but I'm not registered with them. What is the point of the bands? I just keep pigeons as a hobby, not for show. At least not yet. So do I need the bands, what service would that provide for the animals? What does anyone suggest I should do? I have Satinettes, and I hope to start breeding soon and I will band the babies with colored numbers and things like that, but should I band them with the NPA bands?


Up to you but for fun or not, it's good to keep the birds banded. Then you can identify the bird, the year its born, who its parents were, and you'll be able to figure out where your "good birds" come from or what birds breed you the highest percentage. 

Up to you though. For $0.33 a band or so, I think it's well worth it. I'm paying $0.50 per band and well worth it for me.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

RayPember said:


> It's $20 dollars a year (which isn't that bad) to be registered with the NPA. I have NPA bands, but I'm not registered with them. What is the point of the bands? I just keep pigeons as a hobby, not for show. At least not yet. So do I need the bands, what service would that provide for the animals? What does anyone suggest I should do? I have Satinettes, and I hope to start breeding soon and I will band the babies with colored numbers and things like that, but should I band them with the NPA bands?


as a pigeon keeper, banding your birds shows responsiblity for what you create. And if you ever sold a bird or more..then you can prove their age and the buyer can show the bird/s in a bird show as well.. otherwise no one would know how old they are and could not show them if they wanted too. And sometimes folks have to find homes for their pigeons and it seems banded ones are more readily bought than nonbanded ones. we put collars on our dogs with info on it the pigeons should be the same..and not to mention the record keeping which has already been said..


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