Jump to content

Bird ringing

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the journal, seeBird-Banding (journal).

A researcher uses banding pliers to attach a band to the leg of acommon yellowthroat.
Ringing of black-headed gullChroicocephalus ridibundus(Laridae) nestling
A box of equipment for measuring, weighing and ringing birds.
Pupils watch a bird ringing activity during "A day at the wetland", organised by environmental groupWWF.The same individual, an adultchaffinch,had been caught again in the same area last year inLesbos,Greece.

Bird ringing(UK) orbird banding(US) is the attachment of a small, individually numbered metal or plastic tag to the leg or wing of a wildbirdto enable individual identification. This helps in keeping track of the movements of the bird and its life history. It is common to takemeasurementsand examine conditions of feather molt, subcutaneous fat, age indications and sex during capture for ringing. The subsequent recapture or recovery of the bird can provide information onmigration,longevity, mortality, population,territoriality,feeding behavior,and other aspects that are studied byornithologists.Other methods of marking birds may also be used to allow for field based identification that does not require capture.[1]

History

[edit]

The earliest recorded attempts to mark birds were made by Roman soldiers. For instance during the Punic Wars in 218 BC a crow was released by a besieged garrison (which suggests that this was an established practice).Quintus Fabius Pictorused a thread on the bird's leg to send a message back. Or in another case in history a knight interested in chariot races during the time of Pliny (AD 1) took crows to Volterra, 135 miles (217 km) away and released the crows with information on the race winners.[2]

Falconersin theMiddle Agesfit plates on theirfalconswith seals of their owners. In England from around 1560 or so,swanswere marked with aswan mark,a nick on the bill.[3][4]

Storks injured by arrows (termed aspfeilstorchin German) traceable to African tribes were found in Germany in 1822 and constituted some of the earliest evidence of long-distance migration in European birds.[5]

In North AmericaJohn James AudubonandErnest Thompson Setonwere pioneers although their method of marking birds was different from modern ringing. To determine if the same birds returned to his farm, Audubon tied silver threads onto the legs of youngeastern phoebesin 1805 (although the veracity of the dates has been questioned[6]), while Seton markedsnow buntingsin Manitoba with ink in 1882.[7]Ringing of birds for more extensive scientific purposes was started in 1899 byHans Christian Cornelius Mortensen,a Danish schoolteacher, usingaluminiumrings onEuropean starlings(Mortensen had tried usingzincrings as early as 1890 but found these were too heavy).[8]The first banding scheme was established in Germany byJohannes Thienemannin 1903 at theRossitten Bird Observatoryon the Baltic Coast of East Prussia. This was followed by Hungary in 1908, Great Britain in 1909 (byArthur Landsborough Thomsonin Aberdeen andHarry WitherbyinEngland), Yugoslavia[clarification needed]in 1910 and the Scandinavian countries between 1911 and 1914.[9]Paul Bartschof theSmithsonian Institutionis credited with the first modern banding in the U.S.: he banded 23black-crowned night heronsin 1902.[10][11][12]Leon J. Coleof theUniversity of Wisconsinfounded the American Bird Banding Association in 1909; this organization oversaw banding until the establishment of federal programs in the U.S. (1920) and Canada (1923) pursuant to theMigratory Bird Treatyof 1918.[12]

Terminology and techniques

[edit]
A bandedruby-crowned kingletrecaptured in amist net

Bird ringingis the term used in the UK and in some other parts of Europe and the world.Bird bandingis the term used in the US. Organised ringing efforts are called ringing or banding schemes, and the organisations that run them are ringing or banding authorities. (Birds areringedrather thanrung) Those who ring or band birds are known as ringers or banders, and they are typically active at ringing or banding stations.

Birds may be captured by being taken as young birds at thenest,or as adults, captured in finemist nets,baited traps,Heligoland traps,drag nets,cannon nets,or by other methods. Raptors may be caught by many methods, includingbal-chatritraps.

When a bird is caught, a ring of suitable size (usually made of aluminium or other lightweight material) is attached to the bird's leg, has a unique number, and a contact address. The bird is often weighed and measured, examined for data relevant to the ringer's project, and then released. The rings are very light, and are designed to have no adverse effect on the birds – indeed, the whole basis of using ringing to gain data about the birds is that ringed birds should behave in all respects in the same way as the unringed population. The birds so tagged can then be identified when they are re-trapped, or found dead, later.

When a ringed bird is found, and the ring number read and reported back to the ringer or ringing authority, this is termed aringing recoveryorcontrol[citation needed].The finder can contact the address on the ring, give the unique number, and be told the known history of the bird's movements. Some national ringing/banding authorities also accept reports by phone or on official web sites.

The organising body, by collating many such reports, can then determine patterns of bird movements for large populations. Non-ringing/banding scientists can also obtain data for use in bird-related research.

At times in North America, the bands have just a unique number (without an address) that is recorded along with other identifying information on the bird. If the bird is recaptured the number on the band is recorded (along with other identifying characteristics) as aretrap.All band numbers and information on the individual birds are then entered into a database and the information often shared throughout North American banding operations. This way information on retrapped birds is more readily available and easy to access.

Equipment used

[edit]
  • Mist nets for bird ringing, Malta
    Mist nets for bird ringing, Malta
  • male redstart showing aluminium ring, Malta
    male redstart showing aluminium ring, Malta
  • Weighing ringed bird, Malta
    Weighing ringed bird, Malta

Mist net

[edit]
A researcher removes a bird from a mist net.

Mist netsare fine mesh nets with shelves that create pockets to temporarily restrain birds. Mist nets come in a variety of mesh sizes, heights, lengths, weights, materials, and colors. The mesh size of the net is calculated differently in different countries; in the US and Canada the given mesh size is equivalent to two sides of a mesh square, while in the UK it is equivalent to one side. Ringers must choose a mesh size that appropriately targets the desired species, with smaller birds requiring a smaller mesh size. Nets can range from 1.5 to 18 meters in length, and from 1 to 3 meters in height depending on the number of panels. The weight of the thread and the ply (number of strands) can also vary. Common construction materials include nylon, polyester, and monofilament. Mist nets are typically black, but may also be shades of green or brown. While mist nets are capable of capturing a variety of species, they require supervised training in order to use properly and when they are deployed must be checked frequently.[13][14]

Ringing pliers

[edit]

Ringing pliers are an essential tool that helps place the band around a bird's leg. These pliers come in different sizes as determined by how wide a bird's leg is. Pliers are sized between 0A-1A, 2–3, and 3B, 3A, and 4.[15]

Leg gauge

[edit]

The band size is determined by using the leg gauge. A leg gauge is placed around the bird's leg which determines the circumference of the leg. After identifying the size of a band it is then placed on around the leg with the help from the banding pliers.[16]Most waterfowl are leg banded, while occasionally some waterfowl are banded via neck collar. In Australia, band size range from 1 to 15, plus special sizes for birds whose leg shapes require special bands, such as parrots and pelicans.[17]

A researcher uses a wing ruler to measure aLincoln's sparrowwing.

Wing ruler

[edit]

When looking through the Pyle textbook some birds can be identified by the wing cord. The next essential piece of equipment is the wing ruler, which is used to determine the length of the wing for data collection, research purposes, or determining species.[16]

Digital scale

[edit]

Once the processing of the bird'smorphologyhas been completed the last piece of equipment used is a digital scale. This helps with determining the weight of the bird. This is the last step before releasing the bird.[16]

Limitations

[edit]

Certain bird species are for various reasons unsuitable for ringing. In some countries, such as Australia, there exist laws prohibiting banding of such species.[17]

Many very large birds, such asratites,flamingosand the largestswans,are extremely difficult to band because the cost of making a band which is capable of securely fitting their strong, heavy legs is prohibitive. At the other extreme, the smaller species ofriverandtree kingfishers,todiesand certainlories,have such narrowtarsithat a band placed around the bird's foot may impose danger to blood circulation. For some gamebirds, such as theIndian peafowl,spurs on the legs interfere with the bands, which thus can cause injury to the birds.

Many species ofcockatoo– which even if able to be banded require special bands to fit the unique shape of their legs – will crush bands with their powerful bills and claws.[18]The ability to overcome this problem varies between species, and with some such as theGang-gang cockatoo,it is known to be too dangerous to attempt banding.New World vulturesalso cannot be banded on their legs because they urinate onto their legs, causing corrosion of the bands into a powdery oxide that sticks to the vulture's leg and injures the bird.Dippersare also dangerously handicapped by ringing because the rings induce drag that makes it extremely difficult for them to catch prey in fast-flowing water.

Among species which can be safely ringed, there are major limitations amongnomadic speciesof the deserts of theEastern Hemisphereandcardueline finchesof thetaiga.The highly unpredictable movements inherent in these species' lifestyles means that recovery rates are extremely low,[19][20]especially given generally low population densities within their habitats.

Similar schemes

[edit]

Wing tags

[edit]
This femalegreat frigatebirdhas been tagged with wing tags as part of a breeding study

In some surveys, involving larger birds such as eagles, brightly coloured plastic tags are attached to birds' wing feathers. Each has a letter or letters, and the combination of colour and letters uniquely identifies the bird. These can then be read in the field, through binoculars, meaning that there is no need to re-trap the birds. Because the tags are attached to feathers, they drop off when the birdmoults.

Another method isimpingin a brightly colored false feather instead of a natural feather.[21]

Apatagial tagis a permanent tag held onto the wing by a rivet punched through thepatagium.[22]

Radio transmitters and satellite-tracking

[edit]

Where detailed information is needed on individual movements, tiny radio transmitters can be fitted on to birds. For small species the transmitter is carried as a 'backpack' fitted over the wing bases, and for larger species it may be attached to a tail feather or looped to the legs. Both types usually have a tiny (10 cm) flexible aerial to improve signal reception. Two field receivers (reading distance and direction) are needed to establish the bird's position using triangulation from the ground. The technique is useful for tracing individuals during landscape-level movements particularly in dense vegetation (such as tropical forests) and for shy or difficult-to-spot species, because birds can be located from a distance without visual confirmation.[23][24]

The use of satellite transmitters for bird movements is currently restricted by transmitter size – to species larger than about 400g. They may be attached tomigratorybirds (geese, swans, cranes, penguins etc.) or other species such as penguins that undertake long-distance movements. Individuals may be tracked by satellites for immense distances, for the lifetime of the transmitter battery. As with wing tags, the transmitters may be designed to drop off when the bird moults; or they may be recovered by recapturing the bird.[25][26]

Motus wildlife tracking networkis a program ofBirds Canada,it was launched in 2014 in the US and Canada, by 2022 more than 1,500 receiver stations have been installed in 34 countries, most receivers are concentrated in theUnited StatesandCanada.

Field-readable rings

[edit]
Ringed for theEuropean rollerconservation project
A gull with bands on both legs.
The orange ring isAlpha numeric,the large characters makes it easy to read from a distance

A field-readable is a ring or rings, usually made from plastic and brightly coloured, which may also have conspicuous markings in the form of letters and/or numbers. They are used by biologists working in the field to identify individual birds without recapture and with a minimum of disturbance to their behaviour. Rings large enough to carry numbers are usually restricted to larger birds, although if necessary small extensions to the rings (leg flags) bearing the identification code allow their use on slightly smaller species. For small species (e.g. most passerines), individuals can be identified by using a combination of small rings of different colours, which are read in a specific order. Most colour-marks of this type are considered temporary (the rings degrade, fade and may be lost or removed by the birds) and individuals are usually also fitted with a permanent metal ring.

Leg-flags

[edit]

Similar to coloured rings or bands are leg-flags, usually made ofDarvicand used in addition to numbered metal bands. Although leg-flags may sometimes have individual codes on them, their more usual use is to code for the sites where the birds were banded in order to elucidate theirmigrationroutes and staging areas. The use of colour-coded leg-flags is part of an international program, originated in Australia in 1990, by the countries of theEast Asian - Australasian Flywayto identify important areas and routes used by migratorywaders.[27]

Other markers

[edit]

Head and neck markers are very visible, and may be used in species where the legs are not normally visible (such as ducks and geese).Nasal discsandnasal saddlescan be attached to the culmen with a pin looped through the nostrils in birds withperforate nostrils.They should not be used if they obstruct breathing. They should not be used on birds that live in icy climates, as accumulation of ice on a nasal saddle can plug the nostrils.[28]Neck collarsmade of expandable, non-heat-conducting plastic are useful for larger birds such as geese.[29]

Education

[edit]

Many institutions that ring birds offer demonstrations for the public, where experts ring live birds while highlighting the steps of the process and answering questions from the public.[30]Educating visitors about the technique helps to spread accurate information about it to the public.[31]While live bird ringing is not the only method of educating the public on bird conservation, it can be an especially engaging and unique method for visitors.[32]

Regulation

[edit]
Ringedsandhill crane(Grus canadensis) at the Llano Seco Unit of theSacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex

Ringing activities are often regulated by national agencies but because ringed birds may be found across countries, there are consortiums that ensure that recoveries and reports are collated. In the UK, bird ringing is organized by theBritish Trust for Ornithology.In North America the U.S.Bird Banding Laboratorycollaborates with Canadian programs and since 1996, partners with the North American Banding Council (NABC).[33]Waterfowl hunters may report the band number of the bird they killed or observed, and find out the details of that specific bird such as breed, age, and banding location. Bird bands are often seen as a prize because they are still relatively rare. TheEuropean Union for Bird Ringing(EURING) consolidates ringing data from the various national programs in Europe.[34]In Australia, the Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme manages all bird and bat ringing information.[35]whileSAFRINGmanages bird ringing activities in South Africa.[36]Bird ringing in India is managed by theBombay Natural History Society.BirdRing rings in the Neotropics and Africa. TheNational Center for Bird Conservation (CEMAVE)coordinates a national scheme for bird ringing in Brazil.[37][38][39]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^Cottam, C (1956). "Uses of marking animals in ecological studies:marking birds for scientific purposes".Ecology.37(4): 675–681.doi:10.2307/1933058.JSTOR1933058.
  2. ^Fisher, J. & Peterson, R.T. 1964.The world of birds.Doubleday & Co., Garden City, New York.
  3. ^Charles Knight (1842) The Penny Magazine of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge: of the society for the diffusion of useful knowledge. Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge (Great Britain) v.11 [n.s. v.2] (pp. 277–278)
  4. ^Schechter, Frank I. The Historical Foundations of the Law Relating to Trade-Marks. New York: Columbia University Press, 1925. p. 35
  5. ^Haffer, J. (2007). "The development of ornithology in central Europe".Journal of Ornithology.148:125.doi:10.1007/s10336-007-0160-2.S2CID38874099.
  6. ^Halley, Matthew R (2018). "Audubon's famous banding experiment: Fact or fiction?".Archives of Natural History.45:118–121.doi:10.3366/anh.2018.0487.
  7. ^North American Banding Council (2001).The North American Banders' Study Guide(PDF).Point Reyes Station, Calif.: North American Banding Council. pp. 3–4.Archived(PDF)from the original on 18 October 2015.Retrieved18 July2012.
  8. ^Preuss, Niels Otto (2001)."Hans Christian Cornelius Mortensen: aspects of his life and of the history of bird ringing"(PDF).Ardea.89(1): 1–6. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 24 July 2011.
  9. ^Spencer, R. 1985. Marking. In: Campbell. B. & Lack, E. 1985.A dictionary of birds.British Ornithologists' Union. London, pp. 338–341.
  10. ^Tautin, John; Métras, Lucie (December 1988)."The North American Banding Program".EURING Newsletter.Archived fromthe originalon 20 February 2012.Retrieved21 May2012.
  11. ^Tautin, John (2005)."Frederick C. Lincoln and the Formation of the North American Bird Banding Program"(PDF).In Ralph, C. John; Rich, Terrell D. (eds.).Bird Conservation Implementation and Integration in the Americas.Third International Partners in Flight Conference. 2002 March 20–24; Asilomar, California. Albany, California: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station. pp. 813–814. Gen. Tech. Rep. GTR-PSW-191.Retrieved21 May2012.
  12. ^abTautin, John (2005)."One Hundred Years of Bird Banding in North America"(PDF).In Ralph, C. John; Rich, Terrell D. (eds.).Bird Conservation Implementation and Integration in the Americas.Third International Partners in Flight Conference. 2002 March 20–24; Asilomar, California. Albany, California: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station. pp. 815–816. Gen. Tech. Rep. GTR-PSW-191.Retrieved21 May2012.
  13. ^"Mist Net Information".Archivedfrom the original on 9 February 2023.Retrieved9 February2023.
  14. ^"The North American Banders' Study Guide"(PDF).nabanding.net.April 2021.Archived(PDF)from the original on 11 October 2022.Retrieved6 March2023.
  15. ^"Bird Banding Laboratory".usgs.gov.Archivedfrom the original on 24 September 2015.Retrieved24 September2015.
  16. ^abc"Welcome to AVINET".avinet.Archivedfrom the original on 16 April 2015.Retrieved24 September2015.
  17. ^abAustralian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme;Recommended Band Size List – Birds of Australia and its TerritoriesArchived22 September 2015 at theWayback Machine
  18. ^Rowley, Ian and Saunders, Denis A.; ‘Rigid Wing Tags for Cockatoos';Corella,1980, 4(1); pp. 1–7
  19. ^Newton, Ian;The Speciation and Biogeography of Birds;pp. 490–492ISBN012517375X
  20. ^Dean, Richard J.;Nomadic Desert Birds;p. 138ISBN3540403930
  21. ^Wright, Earl G (1939). "Marking Birds by Imping Feathers".The Journal of Wildlife Management.3(3): 238–239.doi:10.2307/3796107.JSTOR3796107.
  22. ^Marion, WR; JD Shamis (1977)."An annotated bibliography of bird marking techniques"(PDF).Bird-Banding.48(1): 42–61.doi:10.2307/4512291.JSTOR4512291.Archived(PDF)from the original on 18 October 2015.Retrieved28 February2013.
  23. ^Rappole, J. H. & Tipton, A. R. (1991). "New harness design for attachment of radio transmitters to small passerines".J. Field Ornithol.62(3): 335–337.JSTOR20065798.
  24. ^Naef-Daenzer, Beat (2007)."An allometric function to fit leg-loop harnesses to terrestrial birds"(PDF).Journal of Avian Biology.38(3): 404–407.doi:10.1111/j.2007.0908-8857.03863.x.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 17 December 2008.
  25. ^Mikael Hake; Nils Kjellén; Thomas Alerstam (2001)."Satellite tracking of Swedish OspreysPandion haliaetus:autumn migration routes and orientation ".Journal of Avian Biology.32(1): 47–56.doi:10.1034/j.1600-048X.2001.320107.x.Archivedfrom the original on 1 July 2023.Retrieved11 July2019.
  26. ^Kanaia, Yutaka; Ueta, Mutsuyuki; Germogenov, Nikolai; Nagendran, Meenakshi; Mita, Nagahisa & Higuchi, Hiroyoshi (2002)."Migration routes and important resting areas of Siberian cranes (Grus leucogeranus) between northeastern Siberia and China as revealed by satellite tracking "(PDF).Biological Conservation.106(3): 339–346.Bibcode:2002BCons.106..339K.doi:10.1016/S0006-3207(01)00259-2.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 17 December 2008.
  27. ^Australasian Wader Studies Group: Wader flaggingArchivedSeptember 25, 2008, at theWayback Machine
  28. ^Kobe, Michael D. (1980)."Detrimental effects of nasal saddles on male ruddy ducks"(PDF).J. Field Ornithol.52(2): 140–143.JSTOR4512636.Archived(PDF)from the original on 18 October 2015.Retrieved28 February2013.
  29. ^USGS (2003)Auxiliary markersArchivedMay 7, 2009, at theWayback Machine
  30. ^"Banding Demonstrations".Braddock Bay Bird Observatory.26 February 2013.Archivedfrom the original on 7 November 2017.Retrieved31 October2017.
  31. ^Pitkin, Melissa (2006).Mist-netting with the public: A guide for communicating science through bird banding(PDF).p. 29.Archived(PDF)from the original on 7 May 2021.Retrieved31 October2017.
  32. ^"A Bird in the Hand is Best".birds.cornell.edu.Archivedfrom the original on 27 September 2021.Retrieved31 October2017.
  33. ^John Tautin and Lucie Métras (1998)The North American Banding ProgramArchived2012-02-20 at theWayback Machine.Euring Newsletter Vol 2.
  34. ^"EURING".EURING. Archived fromthe originalon 28 May 2014.Retrieved2 June2014.
  35. ^ABBBSArchivedJuly 19, 2008, at theWayback Machine
  36. ^"Safring".Web.uct.ac.za. 3 October 2001. Archived fromthe originalon 21 July 2012.Retrieved2 June2014.
  37. ^"CEMAVE".Icmbio.gov.br.Archivedfrom the original on 4 January 2012.Retrieved2 June2014.
  38. ^"Bird Banding Laboratory".usgs.gov.Archivedfrom the original on 24 September 2015.Retrieved24 September2015.
  39. ^Avinet. 2014. Bird Banding Supply Company. [Online] Available at:http:// avinet /Archived16 December 2014 at theWayback Machine.[Accessed 27 Nov. 2014].

References

[edit]
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related toBird ringing.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bird_ringing&oldid=1232665768"