How and why do birds ring?

Ringing is a method of individual marking of birds, used in ornithology. It can tell a lot about the way of life, biology and ecology of populations and species of birds. It is especially important that ringing plays a big role in studying and preserving rare species.

What are birds ringing for?

Ringinging can provide a lot of information. First of all, it answers questions about migrations. Many birds travel thousands of kilometers during seasonal movements, and it is the method of ringing that has opened the main routes for long-distance migration of birds. Over time, information has accumulated about which birds and in what numbers return to their places of birth, which is a very important ecological characteristic of the species. In addition, by observing / catching a ringed bird in a certain place, scientists get information about their life activities: for example, where and when the bird stops for feeding and rest. Such data is particularly important for the conservation of rare species and their habitats.

Ringinging and further observation of the tagged bird can tell us about its life expectancy and, consequently, about some factors that influence this indicator. The story is widely known about the oldest known bird in the world - albatross named Weasd (be sure to read it!). Such unique information was obtained through ringing.

How do birds ring?

To ring a bird, you must either catch it or put the ring on the adult chicks in the nest. Catch birds with special nets and traps, which bypass every hour around the clock to prevent the bird from being killed. The ornithologist-ringer must have the skills to properly hold the bird so as not to damage its limbs.

The rings are made of different materials. In the old days, there were only aluminium rings with the serial number and address of the center of the ring. Nowadays, apart from standard aluminium rings, plastic rings are used. In addition to number and address, they carry another type of information - plastic rings are painted differently - each region is assigned its own color. Such rings are visible in binoculars and telephoto lenses, which allows to get data without catching the bird again.

The ring is worn on the tsave (bone between the toes and shin) or on the shin (for long legged birds). Then some measurements are made and the bird is released. The ring does not harm the birds or interfere with their normal life activities. At the end of the ringing season a general list is made, where all data on ringed birds with numbers of rings are entered. This list is sent to the Ringing Center.

GPS tagging of birds, which provides comprehensive information on their movements, is now increasingly being developed. However, this method has many limitations compared to ringing: for example, the cost of equipment and the inability to use it for small birds. Therefore, ringing remains an extremely important method for individual marking of birds.