Size Chart
If anyone is banding any species that are not listed here, please e-mail our Band Secretary with the name of the species and the size of the band recommended. NFSS uses lazer engraved aluminum bands, which means the size is consistent no matter how many numbers are engraved on the band. Other companies strike their bands when engraving which causes size inconsistency, NFSS has moved away from that issue with the lazar type bands
If you band at fledging, you will want to use a band one size larger than these recommended sizes.
Size “A” (2.10 mm) – Gold-breasted Waxbill, Orange-cheeked Waxbill, Owl (Bicheno) Finch, Quail Finch, Red-eared Waxbill, Strawberry Finch, and other small waxbills.
Size “B” (2.4 mm) – Black-cheeked Waxbill, Cordon Bleu, Cuban Melodious Finch, Fire Finch, Olive Finch, Rufous-backed Mannikin, Timor Zebra.
Size “C” (2.6 mm): Cutthroat, Heck’s Shaftail Finch, Purple Grenadier, Lavender Finch, Violet-eared and Blue-capped Waxbills, Cherry Finch, B&W and Bronze-winged Mannikin, Painted Finch, Pileated Finch, Green / Grey Singing Finch, Pytilia, Red-headed and Forbes (Blue-Breasted) Parrot Finches, Silverbills, Star Finch, Crimson Seed Cracker, Red Siskin, Cutthroat Finch, Star Finch, Lemon Breasted Canary
Size “D” (2.7mm) – Black Belly Crimson Finch, Blue-faced/Peals Parrot Finches, Lady Gouldian Finch (American), Chestnut-breasted & most smaller mannikins, most other Parrot finches, Pictorella Finch, Pintailed Nonpareil, Yellow-rumped Finch, Zebra Finch (American), Society Finch (American)
Size “E” (2.8 mm) – Black-crested Finch, Diamond Sparrow, European Greenfinch, Golden Song Sparrow, Nuns, Peter s/Brown Twinspots, Siskins, Euro Societies, English Zebra Finch, Spice Finch, European Goldfinch, Canaries (Gloster, Pfife, Miniature & Irish Fancy)
Size “G” (3.2 mm) – Euro Gouldian Finch, Canaries (Border, Red Factor, Lizard & Roller), Yellow African Canary, Magpie Mannikin, Siberian Goldfinch, most larger Mannikins, small Tanagers.
Size “J” (3.3 mm) – Canaries (Yorkshire, Norwich, Crested & Parisien Frill), Pekin Robin, Silver-eared Mesias, most small softbills, Scarlet Chested Grasskeets.
Size “K” (3.5 mm) – Java Rice Birds, Red-crested Cardinal, Saffron Finch, Shama Thrush
Size “L” (4.2 mm) – Diamond Dove (other small doves), Mousebirds, Button Quail
Size “M” (4.5 mm) – Leaf Birds, Pagoda Mynah, large Sunbirds, Superb Starlings