These codes describe the circumstances surrounding the encounter of a bird or band. As requirements change, new codes are added or existing codes are discontinued or modified. Since data with the old codes are still in the files, analysts should be aware of the dates they were changed and their definitions.
| Code | Present Definition | Date Added
(New Codes) |
Former Definition | Date of Change |
| 00 | Found dead. See also codes 21, 30, 45, 50. | |||
| 01 | Shot. See also codes 16, 91 | |||
| 02 | *Caught or found dead due to: starvation | |||
| 03 | *Caught due to: injury | |||
| 04 | * Caught by or due to: traps or snares other than devices used to catch birds for banding. (Muskrat traps, pole traps, etc.) See also code 26. | Caught in trap
(not banding) |
09-01-65 | |
| 05 | Code discontinued. See code 31 | Killed by carnivore (not cat) | 09-01-65 | |
| 06 | *Caught by or due to: rodent | |||
| 07 | *Caught by or due to: miscellaneous birds | |||
| 08 | *Caught by or due to: shrike | |||
| 09 | Caught by or due to: hawks, owls, or other raptors. Also includes bands found in raptor pellets. See also code 51. | Killed by hawks | 09-01-65 | |
| 10 | Banding Mortality: birds accidentally killed during banding operations. Includes birds killed in, by or due to traps, holding devices or handling. Does not include birds killed by weather or predators. See code 51. | Killed by accidents,
traps, etc. |
09-01-65 | |
| 11 | *Caught by or due to: dog | |||
| 12 | *Caught by or due to: cat | |||
| 13 | *Caught due to striking: stationary object other than wires or towers. See also code 54. | Killed by flying into object | 09-01-65 | |
| 14 | *Caught due to striking or being struck by: motor vehicle. See also code 45. | Killed by automobile | 09-01-65 | |
| 15 | * Caught or found dead due to: weather conditions. See also code 51. | |||
| 16 | Collected as Scientific Specimen or captured for a Scientific Study. See also code 53. | |||
| 17 | Drowned. | |||
| 18 | *Caught or found dead due to disease: botulism (part of confirmed die-off). | |||
| 19 | Caught by or due to: reptile | |||
| 20 | Caught due to disease. See also codes 18, 32 and 43.
|
Caught due to disease: unknown type | 01-01-73 | |
| 21 | Bird caught or found dead in building or enclosure. | Found in building | 09-01-65 | |
| 22 | Code discontinued | Died from "fright" | 09-01-65 | |
| 23 | *Caught or found dead due to: oil or tar | Killed from oil in plumage | 09-01-65 | |
| 24 | *Caught or killed due to: fall from nest. | Fell from nest and was killed | 09-01-65 | |
| 25 | Caught or killed due to: Poisoning Does not include lead poisoning, avicides or pesticides. See codes 40, 44, 55. | Poisoned. | 09-01-65 | |
| 26 | Caught by or due to: entanglement in fishing gear (line, hooks, nets, etc.). See also code 57. | Entangled in strings, nets, fish hooks, etc. | 09-01-65 | |
| 27 | *Caught by or found dead due to striking or being struck by: moving train. | |||
| 28 | Caught by hand. | |||
| 29 | Sight record: identified by color band, marked plumage or marker other than standard, numbered metal band. See also code 52. | Identified by colored band (sight record in same 10-minute block where banded). | 09-01-65 | |
| 30 | Died in nest. See also codes 33, 49, 55. | |||
| 31 | *Caught by or due to: miscellaneous animal. See also codes 06, 11, 12, 49, 51. | |||
| 32 | *Caught due to: parasite infestation | Killed by parasites. | 09-01-65 | |
| 33 | Caught or observed at or in nest. See also codes 30, 49. | Found nesting (in same 10-minute block where banded). | 09-01-65 | |
| 34 | Caught or found dead due to: fish (includes bands reported found inside fish). | Eaten by fish. | 09-01-65 | |
| 35 | Code discontinued | *Caught by or due to: clam | 12-13-71 | |
| 36 | Caught due to: exhaustion | |||
| 37 | Code discontinued. | Caught due to: electric shock | 12-13-71 | |
| 38 | Code discontinued. | *Caught due to: fire. | 12-13-71 | |
| 39 | *Caught or found dead due to striking or being struck by: moving aircraft. | Killed by airplane. | 09-01-65 | |
| 40 | *Caught or found dead due to: Lead poisoning. | |||
| 41 | Code discontinued. See "Present Condition" codes 09, 10, 11. | Held for propagating | 09-01-65 | |
| 42 | Caught due to striking or being struck by: moving farm machinery. | Run over by farm machinery | 09-01-65 | |
| 43 | *Caught or found dead due to disease: trichomoniasis | Died from Trichomoniasis | 09-01-65 | |
| 44 | Caught or found dead due to: control operations (roost bombing, gassing, avicides, wetting agents, etc.) See also code 55. | |||
| 45 | Found dead or injured on highway. No information as to whether hit by motor vehicle or not. See also code 14. | Found dead on highway. | 11-23-71 | |
| 46 | Caught due to: joined flock of domestic or captive birds or fowl. | Joined flock of domestics ducks. | 09-01-65 | |
| 47 | Code discontinued. See code 98 of "Present Condition" codes. | Band removed (no more information). | 09-01-65 | |
| 48 | Code discontinued. See "Present Condition" codes. | Held in captivity | 09-01-65 | |
| 49 | Caught at, on or in nest by predator. See also codes 24, 30, 33. | Killed in nest by predator. | 09-01-65 | |
| 50 | Found dead: band with skeleton or bone only. | |||
| 51 | Banding mortality: bird killed by predators, weather, etc. while in trapping or holding devices. See also code 10. | 09-01-65 | ||
| 52 | Sight record: band read by telescope or other means while bird was free. See also code 29. | 09-01-065 | ||
| 53 | Captured for Scientific Purposes (not collected). Bird captured, Status changed(dyed, neck-banded, bled, etc.) for scientific purposes, bird released. See also code 16. | 09-01-65 | Previously included rebanded. | 06-30-72 |
| 54 | Caught due to striking: radio, TV, high tension, etc. wires or towers, or ceilometers. See also code 37. | 09-01-65 | ||
| 55 | Caught due to: pesticides. Birds reported killed or captured as a result of spray programs. Does not include avicides. See also code 44. | 09-01-65 | ||
| 56 | Obtained - Letter simply states in effect "I obtained this bird". No further information available. See also code 98. | 09-01-65 | ||
| 57 | Caught due to: entanglement in anything other than fishing gear, e.g., in wire, string, vines, fence, shrubs, etc. See also code 26. | 10-07-69 | ||
| 58 | Bird located by electronic sensors (Note: location reported is for receiver, and not necessarily the bird). | 09-01-73 | ||
| 87 | Code discontinued. See codes 29, 52. | Sight record in a different 10-minute block from one where banded. | 09-01-65 | |
| 88 | Code discontinued. See code 33. | Found nesting in a different 10-minute block from one where banded. | 09-01-65 | |
| 89 | Previously banded bird trapped and released during banding operations in different 10-minute block than where originally banded. See also code 99. | |||
| 91 | Illegally taken: reported by conservation agency employees or other law enforcement officials as illegally taken. | Shot out of hunting season | 09-01-65 | |
| 96 | Code discontinued. See code 98. | Band only | 09-01-65 | |
| 97 | Miscellaneous. Method of recovery not covered by other codes. | |||
| 98 | Band or band number only obtained. No further information available. See also code 56. | |||
| 99 | Previously banded bird trapped and released during banding operations in same 10-minute block where originally banded. See also code 89. |
* On September 1, 1965, the word "killed," where found in a definition of a How Obtained code, was replaced where possible by the word "Caught" "Caught by," or "Caught by or due to". The Present Condition codes describe whether the bird is dead or alive, etc. and should be considered in conjunction with the How Obtained codes.
