Combination of :
* a two alpha-numeric code ring on each leg (vertically engraved, same code on both legs).
* a metal ring.
* sometimes with an uncoded c-ring.
note 1 : used colours (and their codes) are dark-green (G), black or blue (B), red (R), orange (O), light-green (L), yellow (Y) and white (W).
Colours of the rings can be the same or different on both legs.
Colour-combinations used are :
*left-right or right-left leg : blue-blue, green-green, orange-orange, lime-lime, white-white, orange-blue, white-blue, white-black, lime-blue, red-black, yellow-red.
note 2 : please note the position (or absence) of the metal ring and any uncoded c-ring, this can be important for identification. These can be anywhere on the tibia, on the left or right leg. If only one leg can be read, please note whether this was the left or right leg.
note 3 : colour of the inscription can be useful for identification. On black, blue, dark-green and red c-rings, the inscriptions are in white, whereas on orange, yellow, light-green and white c-rings, the inscriptions are in black. This may be especially useful for distinguishing between red (white inscriptions) and orange (black inscriptions) rings.
note 4 : please take care when distinguishing white, lime and yellow rings, because the first two colours may become somewhat yellowish.
note 5 : these codes have been used between 1996 and 2012 on a total of 5280 birds.
note 6 : if you don't know which scheme the colour-ringed bird belongs to, please send your observation to the Dutch Spoonbill Working Group and they will be able to tell you who is the right person to send your observation to.
note 7 :
