Injury due to leg bands in willow flycatchers

J.A. Sedgwick; R.J. Klus

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USGS · 70019599

Injury due to leg bands in willow flycatchers

J.A. Sedgwick·R.J. Klus

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Abstract

We report an apparently unusually high incidence of leg injury in Willow Flycatchers (Empidonax traillii) as a result of banding and color banding. Color bands and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) bands applied to Willow Flycatchers from 1988-1995 resulted in an overall leg injury rate of 9.6% to birds returning to our study areas in subsequent years. Most injuries occurred on legs with only color band(s) (58.3%) or on legs with both a USFWS band and a color band (35%); only 6.7% of injuries (4/60) were due to USFWS bands alone, yielding an overall USFWS band injury rate of only 0.6%. Injuries ranged from severe (swollen, bleeding legs; a missing foot) to relatively minor (irritations on the tarsus). Amputation of the foot occurred in 33.9% of the cases. Return rates of adult injured birds in the year(s) following injury were significantly lower than for the population at large.

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J.A. Sedgwick, R.J. Klus. 1997. Injury due to leg bands in willow flycatchers. https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/70019599

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