In a post about 4-letter codes:
> according to the USFW NBS official code book: ...

Two acronyms of note here.
USFWS is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior
NBS *was* the National Biological Service (previously National Biological
Survey) within Interior, which on October 1 became the Biological Resources
Division (BRD) within the U.S. Geological Survey. ' Twas a
congressionally-mandated move.
The Bird Banding Laboratory, which had been within USFWS and then moved to
the NBS, is now within the BRD of the USGS. I believe the BBL is the entity
responsible for the "official code book" cited above.
Despite liberal sprinkling of bureaucratic acronyms herein, I join those
who favor spelled-out bird names in posts to tweeters.
--
Scott Richardson
NE Seattle
salix at halcyon.com