# Double banding birds?



## pigeonnewb (Jan 18, 2008)

I see some pictures and pigeons with a band on each leg. I was just curious as to why would they need both of them? Can anyone please help explain. Thanks in advance.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Usually fanciers will band all their birds with a club or organization band, like AU, IF, NPA, etc. They may also band them with colored bands, some with numbers or letters, to quickly identify the bird. Some put different colors on all their pairs so they can see which is mated to who without catching them to read the club band. Some of the other bands you might see on pigeons are address bands or racing bands fanciers pull off the leg to clock the birds on race day.


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## Grim (Jul 28, 2007)

I use different colored snap on bands to identify newly trained birds. I also use a different color to identify weaned but not trap trained birds. The bands get rotated as the birds become more experienced. It helps me identify them and make sure an untrained bird doesn't get put in a basket. Especially when they are all white.


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## bigislerollers (Jan 20, 2008)

Aloha Pigeonnewb,

Here is the real reason for double bands. BALANCE. With only one band on the bird, the bird will be off balanced and will suffer a permanent disability. I raise rollers and I use two bands to balance out the birds and hopefully make it roll smoother. It's sort of like a car tire, if it's not balanced you'll feel it wobble as you're going down the highway. 

NOT!!!!!!! Sorry, I couldn't help myself. LOL. 

Becky and Grim already answered the real reason for the bands. I also double band with a club band and a personalized band. With rollers and their notoriously bad homing instinct, if/when they get lost and someone finds it they can easily contact me with the info on the personalized band. One other thing with the personalized bands is that if I give/sell a bird, I make sure it's a bird that I won't be ashamed of carrying my name.


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## learning (May 19, 2006)

Another type of double band you will see is with racing homers. They will have the registration band on one leg and a racing band on the other. This is for the electronic racing clocks that are now widely in use. They contain a microchip that is sensed when the bird walks over an antenae back at its loft after finishing a race.

This is very common among the racing community and is a "badge of honor" if you will, showing that the bird is, or was a racing bird.

Dan


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

When I found Squeaks, he had a band on each leg: one plain and the other with numbers/letter ID. Not knowing anything about racing homing pigeons, I thought he was some type of "research" type of pigeon. 

Since he was still a squeaker, he might have been out for a training run or something. We had bad winds the day before and I think he might have been hit by a car, hence the badly broken wing. 

Could not locate the owner as his band was sold in a "batch" of 10. The man I contacted thought the owner might have died. Knowing what I know now, I really doubt the owner would have wanted Squeaks back. 

He changed my life and is a spoiled pij living in his forever home! 

Shi


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## ohiogsp (Feb 24, 2006)

Sometimes people will band with 2 racing style bands if there is a special race that has to have a special band to enter. So, that person will band one leg with the usual club band then put the band race band on the other leg.


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## pigeonnewb (Jan 18, 2008)

Thanks for all the answers. I was curious but now I have a general idea. I like the car tire explaionation about the rollers and the picture. Thats a good idea. I should start doing that to mine. Just in case they ever get lost.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Nice looking legs, feet, and "bracelets" Dexter!  Thank you so much for the photo that clearly shows members how to band for a national organization like the NBRC as well as have a personal band.

Terry


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

As Dan has posted, yes .. there will be an identification band on a racing pigeon as well as a clock band. ANY birds that are banded DO belong to someone, and we need always to make an effort to get any such birds back to their rightful homes.

Terry


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## Middaugh1121 (Oct 8, 2017)

Found double banded bird Toledo Ohio. IF 5756 92 WEL and the other band is baby blue and doesn't appear to have anything on it


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## wildcat hunter (Jan 17, 2014)

http://www.ifpigeon.com/lost-and-found.html

In1992 WEL was a band from the Wellwood club in Farmingdale, New York.516-249-0358 - that # is from 1990 so its ???? Good???. 
Anyway thats an old band somebody put on a new pigeon.


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## beachwood45789 (Jul 15, 2014)

Back In The 1970'S And 80's Be For Electronic Bands Were Used, We Would Band Our Best Birds With 2 Futurity Bands Like N.H.F. And J.B.M. So We Could Race Both Races. Beachwood


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