So I'm kind of wondering... how much of a concern are those not-so-little chick beaks and feet to the banding crew? And how have the chicks of previous years reacted to the process?
They react the same way, with varying degrees of aggression of course - aaack! ... what are you? ... why are you here? ... what are you doing? ... Mummy? ... Daddy? ... ooh, that tickles! ... not sure I like that rivet gun ... oooh, pretties ... finally I'm free of that bucket! .... where'd they go? .... naptime ....
Seriously, they are a wee bit pissed but it doesn't take long to band them so they are back in familiar surroundings quickly and Mom & Dad usually end up in the box/ledge not long after we leave. And the chicks return to their usual coma state.
And I have smallish hands so I generally just get poked a bit by the talons and occasionally bitten - none of it hurts much, or maybe I'm just used to it. I know the guys tend to bleed alot when they get caught, but I think that's more a case of larger hands than anything else.