A Rocha bird ringing results for 2003-2004

Willow Warbler [Phylloscopus trochilus] (left) and Bonelli’s Warbler [Ph. bonelli] in France, August 2003

Willow Warbler (left) and Bonelli’s Warbler in France, August 2003

Bird ringing (or bird-banding) has been going on for over 50 years around the world, and the information gained from it has enabled scientists to extend their knowledge of bird biology, migration and ecology in ways that would not otherwise be possible. Ringing activities carried out at the same location over many years are particularly important as they reveal how local populations of birds, along with bird migration patterns, change over time.

Through 2003 and 2004 A Rocha carried out bird ringing programmes within the study areas in the Czech Republic, France, Kenya, Portugal and the UK. Summary statistics of the ringing operations in four countries are given in the table below. In 2005, a ringing programme in Lebanon was recommenced.

In Portugal there was a wide variety of species ringed at the field study centre. Particular highlights included Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus), Little Owl (Athene noctua), Eurasian Wryneck (Jynx torquilla), Red-necked Nightjar (Caprimulgus ruficollis), Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) and Short-toed Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla).

In France the most commonly trapped species were European Reed Warblers (Acrocephalus scirpaceus), Blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla), Willow Warblers (Phylloscopus trochilus), European Pied Flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) and European Robins (Erithacus rubecula). Of special interest and rarity were the Common Grasshopper Warbler (Locustella naevia) and the Spectacled Warbler (Sylvia conspicillata).

Numbers of birds ringed by A Rocha UK at the Minet site were lower in 2003 than the previous year, possibly because of an extremely dry spring and summer. Remarkably, of eight Garden Warblers (Sylvia borin) ringed in 2002, three were retrapped in 2003. Ringing results from 2004 showed a relatively poor breeding season, with species such as Common Whitethroats (Sylvia communis) suffering in particular. However the numbers of Blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla), Chiffchaffs (Phylloscopus collybita) and the three common tits (Paridae) were higher.

	2003	2003	2004	2004
Country	No. of birds	No. of species	No. of birds	No. of species
Kenya*	562	75	1045	91
Portugal	1465	59	1572	53
France	636	41	481	32
UK	336	29	357	22

*Figures are for the seasons 2002-2003 and 2003-2004