Bird ringing

Last updated

A researcher uses ringing pliers to attach a ring to the leg of a Eurasian blackcap. RSPB Sandwell Valley bird ringing - 2004-06-19 - Andy Mabbett - 27.jpg
A researcher uses ringing pliers to attach a ring to the leg of a Eurasian blackcap.
Ringing a black-headed gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus (Laridae) nestling Ringing of black-headed gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus nestling.jpg
Ringing a black-headed gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus (Laridae) nestling
A box of equipment for measuring, weighing and ringing birds. Maletin de campo.jpg
A box of equipment for measuring, weighing and ringing birds.

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

Contents

History

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 Pictor used a thread on the bird's leg to send a message back. 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]

Falconers in the Middle Ages fitted tags on their falcons with seals of their owners. In England from around 1560 or so, swans were marked with a swan mark , a nick on the bill. [3] [4]

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

In North America John James Audubon and Ernest Thompson Seton were 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 young eastern phoebes in 1805, although the veracity of Audubon's dates and methods has been questioned, [6] while Seton marked snow buntings in Manitoba with ink in 1882. [7] Ringing of birds for more extensive scientific purposes was started in 1899 by Hans Christian Cornelius Mortensen, a Danish schoolteacher, using aluminium rings on European starlings. Mortensen had tried using zinc rings as early as 1890 but found these were too heavy. [8] The first ringing scheme was established in Germany by Johannes Thienemann in 1903 at the Rossitten Bird Observatory on the Baltic Coast of East Prussia. This was followed by Hungary in 1908, Great Britain in 1909 (by Arthur Landsborough Thomson in Aberdeen and Harry Witherby in England), Yugoslavia[ clarification needed ] in 1910 and the Scandinavian countries between 1911 and 1914. [9] Paul Bartsch of the Smithsonian Institution is credited with the first modern banding in the U.S.: he banded 23 black-crowned night herons in 1902. [10] [11] [12] Leon J. Cole of the University of Wisconsin founded the American Bird Banding Association in 1909; this organisation oversaw banding until the establishment of federal programs in the U.S. (1920) and Canada (1923) pursuant to the Migratory Bird Treaty of 1918. [12]

Terminology and techniques

A ringed ruby-crowned kinglet recaptured in a mist net Mist net kinglet.jpg
A ringed ruby-crowned kinglet recaptured in a mist net

Bird ringing is the term used in the UK and in some other parts of Europe and the world. Bird banding is the term used in the United States. Organised ringing efforts are called ringing or banding schemes, and the organisations that run them are ringing or banding authorities. Birds are ringed rather than rung. 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 the nest, or as adults, captured in fine mist nets, baited traps, Heligoland traps, drag nets, cannon nets, or by other methods. Raptors may be caught by many methods, including bal-chatri traps.

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 a ringing recovery or a control. [13] The finder can contact the address on the ring, give the unique number, and be told the known history of the bird's movements. Many national ringing/banding authorities now 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 a retrap. 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

Mist nets

A researcher removes a bird from a mist net. A researcher removes a bird from a mist net 2.jpg
A researcher removes a bird from a mist net.

Mist nets are 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 colours. 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 metres in length, and from 1 to 3 metres 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. [14] [15]

Ringing pliers

Ringing pliers are an essential tool that helps place the ring 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. [16]

Leg gauge

The ring size is determined by using a leg gauge. This is placed around the bird's leg, which determines the diameter of the leg. After identifying the size of ring needed, it is then placed on around the leg with the help from the ringing pliers. [17] In Australia, ring sizes range from 1 to 15, plus special sizes for birds whose leg shapes require special rings, such as parrots and pelicans. [18]

A researcher uses a wing ruler to measure a Lincoln's sparrow wing. A researcher uses a wing ruler to measures a Lincoln's sparrow wing.jpg
A researcher uses a wing ruler to measure a Lincoln's sparrow wing.

Wing rulers

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. [17]

Digital scales

Once the processing of the bird's morphology has 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. [17]

Limitations

Certain bird species are for various reasons unsuitable for ringing. In some countries, such as Australia, there exist laws prohibiting ringing of such species. [18]

Some very large birds, such as ratites, are difficult to ring because the cost of making a ring which is capable of securely fitting their strong, heavy legs is prohibitive. At the other extreme, the smaller species of river and tree kingfishers, todies and certain lories, have such narrow tarsi that a ring placed around the bird's foot may impose danger to blood circulation. For some gamebirds, such as the Indian peafowl, spurs on the legs interfere with the rings, which thus can cause injury to the birds.

Special rings are needed for long-lived seabirds, such as Manx shearwaters, which can live for over 50 years. The corrosive effects of sea water, combined with wear, result in traditional aluminium rings only lasting around 4 years; for these birds, much tougher and more corrosion-resistant incoloy, monel, or stainless steel alloy rings are now used. [19]

Many species of cockatoo, which even if able to be ringed, require special rings to fit the unique shape of their legs. With softer metals like aluminium, they can bite off the rings with their powerful bills; tougher alloys also need to be used for these rings. [20] The ability to overcome this problem varies between species, and with some such as the Gang-gang cockatoo, it is known to be too dangerous to attempt banding. New World vultures also 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. Dippers are 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 among nomadic species of the deserts of the Eastern Hemisphere and cardueline finches of the taiga. The highly unpredictable movements inherent in these species' lifestyles means that recovery rates are extremely low, [21] [22] especially given generally low population densities within their habitats.

Similar schemes

Neck rings

A greylag goose with a neck collar ring. These can be read at long distance, increasing observation rates. 2023-05-12 Goose with neck ring 02.jpg
A greylag goose with a neck collar ring. These can be read at long distance, increasing observation rates.

Most waterfowl are leg ringed, but some are marked with a plastic neck collar, which can be read at a greater distance. Neck collars can also be used for other long-necked birds such as flamingos.

Wing tags

This female great frigatebird has been tagged with wing tags as part of a breeding study Wing tag Great Frigatebird.JPG
This female great frigatebird has 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 bird moults.

Another method is imping in a brightly coloured false feather instead of a natural feather. [23]

A patagial tag is a permanent tag held onto the wing by a rivet punched through the patagium. [24]

Wing tags can be a problem for some smaller raptors like harriers as their conspicuous nature makes them more obvious targets for other more powerful predators like peregrine falcons. [25]

Radio transmitters and satellite-tracking

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. [26] [27]

The use of satellite transmitters for bird movements is currently restricted by transmitter size – to species larger than about 400g. They may be attached to migratory birds (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. [28] [29]

Motus wildlife tracking network is a program of Birds 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 the United States and Canada.

Field-readable rings

Ringed for the European roller conservation project European roller (Coracias garrulus) 2.jpg
Ringed for the European roller conservation project
A gull with rings on both legs. The orange ring is alphanumeric, the large characters makes it easy to read from a distance Gull with bands on both legs.jpg
A gull with rings on both legs.
The orange ring is alphanumeric, 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

Similar to coloured rings or bands are leg-flags, usually made of darvic and used in addition to numbered metal rings. Although leg-flags may sometimes have individual codes on them, their more usual use is to code for the sites where the birds were ringed in order to elucidate their migration routes 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 the East Asian - Australasian Flyway to identify important areas and routes used by migratory waders. [30]

Other markers

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 discs and nasal saddles can be attached to the culmen with a pin looped through the nostrils in birds with perforate 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. [31] Neck collars made of expandable, non-heat-conducting plastic are useful for larger birds such as geese. [32]

Education

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. [33] Educating visitors about the technique helps to spread accurate information about it to the public. [34] 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. [35]

Regulation

Ringed sandhill crane (Grus canadensis) at the Llano Seco Unit of the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex Banded sandhill crane (Grus canadensis) at Llano Seco-9397.jpg
Ringed sandhill crane (Grus canadensis) at the Llano Seco Unit of the Sacramento 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 organised by the British Trust for Ornithology. In North America the U.S. Bird Banding Laboratory collaborates with Canadian programs and since 1996, partners with the North American Banding Council (NABC). [36] Waterfowl hunters may report the ring number of the bird they killed or observed, and find out the details of that specific bird such as breed, age, and ringing location. Bird rings are often seen as a prize because they are still relatively rare.[ citation needed ] The European Union for Bird Ringing (EURING) consolidates ringing data from the various national programs in Europe. [37] In Australia, the Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme manages all bird and bat ringing information. [38] while SAFRING manages bird ringing activities in South Africa. [39] Bird ringing in India is managed by the Bombay Natural History Society. BirdRing rings in the Neotropics and Africa. The National Center for Bird Conservation (CEMAVE) coordinates a national scheme for bird ringing in Brazil. [40] [41] [42]

See also

Notes

  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. JSTOR   1933058.
  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. S2CID   38874099.
  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. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  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 from the 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 from the original on 20 February 2012. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  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. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  12. 1 2 Tautin, 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. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  13. ↑ "Guide to using IPMR v2.2 for Ringing" . Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  14. ↑ "Mist Net Information". Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  15. ↑ "The North American Banders' Study Guide" (PDF). nabanding.net. April 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 October 2022. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  16. ↑ "Bird Banding Laboratory". usgs.gov. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  17. 1 2 3 "Welcome to AVINET". avinet.com. Archived from the original on 16 April 2015. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  18. 1 2 Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme; Recommended Band Size List – Birds of Australia and its Territories Archived 22 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  19. ↑ "Manx Shearwaters – Copeland Bird Observatory". Copeland Bird Observatory. 19 August 2000. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  20. ↑ Rowley, Ian and Saunders, Denis A.; 'Rigid Wing Tags for Cockatoos'; Corella, 1980, 4(1); pp. 1–7
  21. ↑ Newton, Ian; The Speciation and Biogeography of Birds; pp. 490–492 ISBN   012517375X
  22. ↑ Dean, Richard J.; Nomadic Desert Birds; p. 138 ISBN   3540403930
  23. ↑ Wright, Earl G (1939). "Marking Birds by Imping Feathers". The Journal of Wildlife Management. 3 (3): 238–239. doi:10.2307/3796107. JSTOR   3796107.
  24. ↑ Marion, WR; JD Shamis (1977). "An annotated bibliography of bird marking techniques" (PDF). Bird-Banding. 48 (1): 42–61. doi:10.2307/4512291. JSTOR   4512291. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 October 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  25. ↑ Zuberogoitia, Iñigo; Arroyo, Beatriz; O’Donoghue, Barry; Zabala, Jabi; Martínez, José A.; Martínez, José E.; Murphy, Stephen G. (18 April 2012). "Standing out from the crowd: are patagial wing tags a potential predator attraction for harriers (Circus spp.)?". Journal of Ornithology. 153 (3). Springer Science and Business Media LLC: 985–989. doi: 10.1007/s10336-012-0842-2 . ISSN   2193-7192.
  26. ↑ 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. JSTOR   20065798.
  27. ↑ 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 from the original (PDF) on 17 December 2008.
  28. ↑ Mikael Hake; Nils Kjellén; Thomas Alerstam (2001). "Satellite tracking of Swedish Ospreys Pandion haliaetus: autumn migration routes and orientation". Journal of Avian Biology. 32 (1): 47–56. doi:10.1034/j.1600-048X.2001.320107.x. Archived from the original on 1 July 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  29. ↑ 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 from the original (PDF) on 17 December 2008.
  30. ↑ Australasian Wader Studies Group: Wader flagging Archived September 25, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  31. ↑ Kobe, Michael D. (1980). "Detrimental effects of nasal saddles on male ruddy ducks" (PDF). J. Field Ornithol. 52 (2): 140–143. JSTOR   4512636. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 October 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  32. ↑ USGS (2003) Auxiliary markers Archived May 7, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  33. ↑ "Banding Demonstrations". Braddock Bay Bird Observatory. 26 February 2013. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
  34. ↑ 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. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
  35. ↑ "A Bird in the Hand is Best". www.birds.cornell.edu. Archived from the original on 27 September 2021. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
  36. ↑ John Tautin and Lucie Métras (1998) The North American Banding Program Archived 2012-02-20 at the Wayback Machine . Euring Newsletter Vol 2.
  37. ↑ "EURING". EURING. Archived from the original on 28 May 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  38. ↑ ABBBS Archived July 19, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  39. ↑ "Safring". Web.uct.ac.za. 3 October 2001. Archived from the original on 21 July 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  40. ↑ "CEMAVE". Icmbio.gov.br. Archived from the original on 4 January 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  41. ↑ "Bird Banding Laboratory". usgs.gov. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  42. ↑ Avinet. 2014. Bird Banding Supply Company. [Online] Available at: http://www.avinet.com/ Archived 16 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine . [Accessed 27 Nov. 2014].

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ornithology</span> Study of birds

Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds. It has also been an area with a large contribution made by amateurs in terms of time, resources, and financial support. Studies on birds have helped develop key concepts in biology including evolution, behaviour and ecology such as the definition of species, the process of speciation, instinct, learning, ecological niches, guilds, island biogeography, phylogeography, and conservation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barn swallow</span> Migratory passerine bird, and the most widespread species of swallow

The barn swallow is the most widespread species of swallow in the world, occurring on all continents, with vagrants reported even in Antarctica. It appears to have the largest natural distribution of any of the world's passerines, ranging over 251 million square kilometres globally. It is a distinctive passerine bird with blue upperparts and a long, deeply forked tail. In Anglophone Europe, it is just called the swallow; in northern Europe, it is the only member of family Hirundinidae called a "swallow" rather than a "martin".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden eagle</span> Species of eagle

The golden eagle is a bird of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. They are one of the best-known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. These birds are dark brown, with lighter golden-brown plumage on their napes. Immature eagles of this species typically have white on the tail and often have white markings on the wings. Golden eagles use their agility and speed combined with powerful feet and large, sharp talons to hunt a variety of prey, mainly hares, rabbits, and marmots and other ground squirrels. Golden eagles maintain home ranges or territories that may be as large as 200 km2 (77 sq mi). They build large nests in cliffs and other high places to which they may return for several breeding years. Most breeding activities take place in the spring; they are monogamous and may remain together for several years or possibly for life. Females lay up to four eggs, and then incubate them for six weeks. Typically, one or two young survive to fledge in about three months. These juvenile golden eagles usually attain full independence in the fall, after which they wander widely until establishing a territory for themselves in four to five years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ring ouzel</span> Species of birds mainly in Europe

The ring ouzel is a mainly European member of the thrush family Turdidae. It is a medium-sized thrush, 23–24 centimetres (9.1–9.4 in) in length and weighing 90–138 grams (3.2–4.9 oz). The male is predominantly black with a conspicuous white crescent across its breast. Females are browner and duller than males, and young birds may lack the pale chest markings altogether. In all but the northernmost part of its range, this is a high-altitude species, with three races breeding in mountains from Ireland east to Iran. It breeds in open mountain areas with some trees or shrubs, the latter often including heather, conifers, beech, hairy alpenrose or juniper. It is a migratory bird, leaving the breeding areas to winter in southern Europe, North Africa and Turkey, typically in mountains with juniper bushes. The typical clutch is 3–6 brown-flecked pale blue or greenish-blue eggs. They are incubated almost entirely by the female, with hatching normally occurring after 13 days. The altricial, downy chicks fledge in another 14 days and are dependent on their parents for about 12 days after fledging.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Common crane</span> Species of bird also known as Eurasian crane

The common crane, also known as the Eurasian crane, is a bird of the family Gruidae, the cranes. A medium-sized species, it is the only crane commonly found in Europe besides the demoiselle crane and the Siberian crane that only are regular in the far eastern part of the continent. Along with the sandhill crane, demoiselle crane and the brolga, it is one of only four crane species not currently classified as threatened with extinction or conservation dependent on the species level. Despite the species' large numbers, local extinctions and extirpations have taken place in part of its range, and an ongoing reintroduction project is underway in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater white-fronted goose</span> Species of bird

The greater white-fronted goose is a species of goose that is closely related to the smaller lesser white-fronted goose. The greater white-fronted goose is migratory, breeding in northern Canada, Alaska, Greenland and Russia, and winters farther south in North America, Europe and Asia. It is named for the patch of white feathers bordering the base of its bill: albifrons comes from the Latin albus "white" and frons "forehead". In the United Kingdom and Ireland, it has been known as the white-fronted goose; in North America it is known as the greater white-fronted goose, and this name is also increasingly adopted internationally. Even more distinctive are the salt-and-pepper markings on the breast of adult birds, which is why the goose is colloquially called the "specklebelly" in North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White stork</span> Species of bird

The white stork is a large bird in the stork family, Ciconiidae. Its plumage is mainly white, with black on the bird's wings. Adults have long red legs and long pointed red beaks, and measure on average 100–115 cm (39–45 in) from beak tip to end of tail, with a 155–215 cm (61–85 in) wingspan. The two subspecies, which differ slightly in size, breed in Europe, northwestern Africa, southwestern Asia and southern Africa. The white stork is a long-distance migrant, wintering in Africa from tropical Sub-Saharan Africa to as far south as South Africa, or on the Indian subcontinent. When migrating between Europe and Africa, it avoids crossing the Mediterranean Sea and detours via the Levant in the east or the Strait of Gibraltar in the west, because the air thermals on which it depends for soaring do not form over water.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Common gull</span> Species of bird

The common gull is a medium-sized gull that breeds in cool temperate regions of the Palearctic from Iceland and Scotland east to Kamchatka in the Russian Far East. Most common gulls migrate further south in winter, reaching the Mediterranean Sea, the southern Caspian Sea, and the seas around China and Japan; northwest European populations are at least partly resident. The closely related short-billed gull was formerly often included in this species, which was then sometimes known collectively as "mew gull".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater scaup</span> Species of bird

The greater scaup, just scaup in Europe or, colloquially, "bluebill" in North America, is a mid-sized diving duck, larger than the closely related lesser scaup and tufted duck. It spends the summer months breeding in Iceland, east across Scandinavia, northern Russia and Siberia, Alaska, and northern Canada. During the winter, it migrates south to the coasts of Europe, eastern Asia, and North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reverse migration (birds)</span>

Reverse migration, also called reverse misorientation, is a phenomenon whereby a bird migrates in the opposite direction to that typical of its species during the spring or autumn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mist net</span> Net used to capture wild birds or bats

Mist nets are nets used to capture wild birds and bats. They are used by hunters and poachers to catch and kill animals, but also by ornithologists and chiropterologists for banding and other research projects. Mist nets are typically made of nylon or polyester mesh suspended between two poles, resembling a volleyball net. When properly deployed in the correct habitat, the nets are virtually invisible. Mist nets have shelves created by horizontally strung lines that create a loose, baggy pocket. When a bird or bat hits the net, it falls into this pocket, where it becomes tangled.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Animal migration tracking</span> Used to study animals behavior in the wild

Animal migration tracking is used in wildlife biology, conservation biology, ecology, and wildlife management to study animals' behavior in the wild. One of the first techniques was bird banding, placing passive ID tags on birds legs, to identify the bird in a future catch-and-release. Radio tracking involves attaching a small radio transmitter to the animal and following the signal with a RDF receiver. Sophisticated modern techniques use satellites to track tagged animals, and GPS tags which keep a log of the animal's location. With the Emergence of IoT the ability to make devices specific to the species or what is to be tracked is possible. One of the many goals of animal migration research has been to determine where the animals are going; however, researchers also want to know why they are going "there". Researchers not only look at the animals' migration but also what is between the migration endpoints to determine if a species is moving to new locations based on food density, a change in water temperature, or other stimulus, and the animal's ability to adapt to these changes. Migration tracking is a vital tool in efforts to control the impact of human civilization on populations of wild animals, and prevent or mitigate the ongoing extinction of endangered species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-winged dove</span> Species of bird in North America, Caribbean

The white-winged dove is a dove whose native range extends from the Southwestern United States through Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. They are large for doves, and can be distinguished from similar doves by the distinctive white edge on their wings. They have a blue eyering, and red eyes. The plumage is brownish-gray to gray. Juveniles are duller in color, and have brown eyes. The call is likened to English phrase "who cooks for you". There are three subspecies. It was first described by George Edwards in 1743, and given its binomial name by Linnaeus in 1756. It was moved into the genus Zenaida in 1838.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Animal migration</span> Periodic large-scale movement of animals, usually seasonal

Animal migration is the relatively long-distance movement of individual animals, usually on a seasonal basis. It is the most common form of migration in ecology. It is found in all major animal groups, including birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and crustaceans. The cause of migration may be local climate, local availability of food, the season of the year or for mating.

There are many field methods available for conducting avian ecological research. They can be divided into three types: counts, nest monitoring, and capturing and marking.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Light level geolocator</span> Electronic tracking device

A light level geolocator, light-level logger or global location sensor (GLS) is a lightweight, electronic archival tracking device, usually used in bird migration research to map migration routes, identify important staging areas, and sometimes provide additional ecological information. A geolocator periodically records ambient light level to determine location.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Animal identification</span>

Animal identification using a means of marking is a process done to identify and track specific animals. It is done for a variety of reasons including verification of ownership, biosecurity control, and tracking for research or agricultural purposes.

The North American Bird Banding Program (NABBP), along with its Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL), has its home at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. The program is jointly administered by the Canadian Wildlife Service and the United States Geological Survey. The program is responsible for many aspects of bird banding in the United States and Canada: it grants permits to bird banders, fills orders for bands of various sizes, collects data from banding stations, receives reports from people who have found birds carrying bands, and makes its database available to appropriate parties.

The history of wildlife tracking technology involves the evolution of technologies that have been used to monitor, track, and locate many different types of wildlife. Many individuals have an interest in tracking wildlife, including biologists, scientific researchers, and conservationists. Biotelemetry is "the instrumental technique for gaining and transmitting information from a living organism and its environment to a remote observer".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glossary of bird terms</span> Glossary of common English language terms used in the description of birds

The following is a glossary of common English language terms used in the description of birds—warm-blooded vertebrates of the class Aves and the only living dinosaurs. Birds, who have feathers and the ability to fly, are toothless, have beakedjaws, lay hard-shelled eggs, and have a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweight skeleton.

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.