looduskalender.ee

 

Everyone who is observing the arrival of our migrating birds should take a  careful look at swans, geese and cranes – they may have something coloured around their neck or leg. If you succeed in reading a ring, then please don’t keep it to yourself. Although recoveries of geese and swans can be quickly entered in online databases and even the bird’s life story may be found there, the information should certainly also go to our ringing centres.

In Estonia ringing is co-ordinated by the Matsalu Ringing Centre.
Contacts:
Matsalu Rõngastuskeskus
Keskkonnaamet (Environmental Board)
Penijõe, Lihula vald, Läänemaa 90305
tel:4724220 ; 4724221
e-mail: ring(at)matsalu.ee
www.matsalu.ee
 

Uku Paal, Estbirdning

 

About reading coloured rings
Why is ringing needed?

With the help of rings much information can be collected about the migration paths of birds, migration speed, longevity, age, distribution of populations and behaviour biology of birds, since the everyday doings of specific birds are monitored without disturbing them.

Why are coloured rings better than the classic metal rings?

Coloured ring (wing tags, neck rings, coloured feather patches and other markings that can be read at a distance are also counted to these) give much more recoveries than metal rings (an so less need to mark a great number of individuals) and the bird doesn’t have to be caught in order to read the ring (less stress for the birds). Observing one individual several times in different areas gives a better overview of its life.

Are neck rings dangerous for birds?

Neck rings are preferred on geese and swans the foot rings are difficult to read when they are feeding in high grass. Birds with neck rings have been in good health many years after the ringing and their nesting success is normal too. Whooper swans tagged with neck rings in Ilmatsalu in 2001 go to Germany for wintering every year and raise several young in Estonia every summer.

How to note the information from a found ring

At first it may look as if an enormous amount of information has to be taken down at once.
After a little practice it is clear what to focus on, and to note the important data takes only a few moments.

A photo is always a great help.
Note the following:

    * the species of the bird, if possible also its age and gender
    * date of the recovery
    * precise finding place
    * the activity of the bird, for nesting bird also the stage of nesting
    * the observed combination of letters and numbers.
YOU MUST BE 100% SURE that you have read the ring correctly! A half-read combination is not much help (except rings of rare species).
    * the colour of the ring or rings
    * the placing of the ring or tag (neck, leg, wing or back tag)
    * in case of leg rings note on which leg the ring is. If there are more than one ring it is important to know the colour combinations of rings on both legs and their relation to each other (were they read from top downwards or the other way about).  Are the rings on the tarsus or thibia? With a photo or a sketch in the notebook it is easier to to remember the combinations.
    * in case of coloured feather areas it must be noted exactly what parts of the plumage was dyed and what colours.
    * sometimes the rings are worn or broken (that too is important information for the project leader, because he can then judge the durability of the rings)
    * get a photo of the bird if at all possible. This can provide important information about the feathering for age/gender determination.

Where to send information about recoveries?

In Estonia ringing is co-ordnated byt the Matsalu Ringing Centre.
Contacts:
Matsalu Rõngastuskeskus
Keskkonnaamet (Environmental Board)
Penijõe, Lihula vald, Läänemaa 90305
tel:4724220 ; 4724221
e-mail: ring(at)matsalu.ee
www.matsalu.ee

The info can be forwarded directly to the co-ordinator of the current ringing project but it is important that the find and ringing info also go to the Matsalu Ringing Centre. Getting more information about a recovery often takes months and sometimes even years. It needs patience to wait for these answers. Sometimes the info about the tagging of the birds hasn’t reached the ringing centre yet but the tags have already been read several times.

 

What is needed for reading coloured rings?

1. Good optics

A spotting scope, with enlargement up to 60x, is the best means, but in good conditions neck rings of geese and swans can be read with a pair of binoculars too. Gull rings too may be successfully read with binoculars because it is possible to get quite close to gulls. Sometimes even metal rings can be read with binoculars.

 

2. Patience

Often the ringed bird is in such a position that the ring combination cannot be read. There is nothing else to do but wait until the bird changes position or comes into better view, out from the flock.

 

3. A critical mind

An  inaccurately read ring can cause great trouble for the project leader. ALWAYS check the reading of a ring once more - even when you are quite sure.

 

4. Use a camera whenever possible so that you can phtotgraph the ringed bird.

From the photo information can be found about the bird’s feathering and age. It is also an important document if the ringer has made a mistake when recording the data.
Sometimes it is even possible to read a flying bird’s ring combination from a photo

5. Basic information about ongoing ringing projects, in order to know what to look for and when.
The main species and groups whose rings are most frequently recovered in Estonia:

    * geese and swans – neck rings; for Berwick’s swans often also coloured leg rings
    * gulls – leg rings, more seldom also wing tags (usually for herring gulls)
    * cranes – combination of coloured leg rings
    * black stork
    * eagles (white-tailed and golden eagles combined coloured leg rings)
    * cormorants

More details about European projects can be read at www.cr-birding.be

 

Avoid mistakes!

Different fonts may have been used for engraving the rings and so the same letters/numbers may look slightly different. It is for instance easy to mistake the following:

    * “T”, “L”
    * “1” and “J” if a narrow font is used
    * “A” and “4” may look very similar.

If the whole letter cannot be seen the following pairs are risky:

    * “0” and “U”
    * “7” and “Z”
    * “K” and “X”
    * “V” and “Y”
    * “3”,”5” and  “S”

Dirty rings may also be read falsely. Mistakes are often made by reading rings backwards. There can also be mistakes in determining colours. Depending on the lighting conditions for instance green and blue can be mistaken for each other. The colour may also change by fading.