# Identifying birds in air



## Fishinrod71 (Apr 30, 2014)

I was wondering if anyone has any good ways of identifying birds in the air. I have rollers and need to start culling some for lack of performance. Some of the birds are easily identified due colors, but I am flying 27 birds together right now and have several birds that are the same or very similar color. I have noticed in a few pics on this site that it looks like pink on some birds, was wondering if that was that colored spray for hair.
Thanks in advance


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## RockPigeon<3er (Aug 2, 2012)

You can get natural dyes and dye the birds, but it works best if they are white or lighter colored.


Do NOT use hair spray. Using food dye will work, or if you can, finding a natural dye for, say, dogs (you likely won't find any for birds, lol)

Best of luck for you.


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## logangrmnr (Jul 14, 2010)

I use food color for my birds if I'm doing the whole under wing. But if I'm trying to single out birds in my kits I use bingo blotters. You can put different colors and patterns under the wings to tell them apart.


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## Chuck K (Jan 12, 2013)

As logangnrmnr stated food color works. I use it mixed in rubbing alcohol with a spray bottle. Spray it on any white feathers. If you have a bunch of birds without white flights or tail feathers, you can clip the ends of tail feathers it patterns such as a V or a couple of feather on different sides.


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## earlofwood (Jul 1, 2012)

This is a great question Fishinrod! I have seen all the ideas above used to success. I have also seen bright ribbons taped to tail feathers but it didn't work very well. Clipping tail feathers as Chuck suggested works the best for me.


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## bigislerollers (Jan 20, 2008)

Halloween hair spray.


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## Fishinrod71 (Apr 30, 2014)

Does the Halloween hairspray come off easily?


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## bigislerollers (Jan 20, 2008)

No it doesn't come off easily. Certain colors will be visible while they are flying until they molt. Other colors will fade a lot within a week or two that they are not visible while flying but still be visible when handling the bird.


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