It's been long debated whether bird banding (or ringing as they call it in Europe) has any ill effect on birds.Studies indicate that despite increased levels of bird banding activity, mortality rates are surprisingly low (less than 1%) (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110629203014.htm). However, there is another issue that begs to be considered.
When birds leave the banding station, their physical appearance is appalling. They have spit on their heads, their feathers are matted and in some cases, brood patches and cloacas are visible, which can be very embarrassing for individuals. After their release, birds are forced to preen for at least five minutes in order to restore their aesthetic appearance.
It is a known fact that ugly birds have a harder time finding mates. Thus, newly banded birds must spend more time preening and getting beautiful in order to impress prospective breeding partners.
Serious study needs to be done in this area, so at this point it is difficult to say what negative health impacts those five- to ten-minute post-banding preening sessions have on birds, but it is safe to say that it does nothing for their self-esteem.
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