A study in concentration as bird-ringer Carles patiently extricates a Great Tit from the mist net
Meet Carles Furquet, ornithologist and certified bird-ringer, who probably handles more birds at a single weekend than many of us spot in a whole year. Last week Carles lifted the curtain a little more on the esoteric world of bird-ringing and birding biometrics at the Bassa de Pardaler (Sparrow Pond) woodland in the Catalan town of Lliça d'Amunt.
Biometrics is the measurement of the physical characteristics of birds and carried out at regular intervals at bird ringing sessions. Statistical information gathered during the sessions help determine the state of health, breeding habits, migration routes and life expectancy of the avian population, and is a vital research tool for the Catalan Ornithological Institute (Institut Català d'Ornitologia, ICO), a statutory body to which Carles and other bird-ringers have to be accredited before they are allowed to handle birds in the wild. In spite of the fact that ringers have to undergo a stringent personally-financed ICO training programme and pass a series of gruelling tests before getting their licence to operate, bird-ringing is a completely voluntary activity. For ringers like Carles, it is a labour of love, inspired and driven by their passion for birds in the wild.
Hoisting an 18-metre long, 3-metre deep, mist net into position on the north bank of the Sparrow Pond
PUTTING UP THE NETS
The birding session at the weekend began at dawn with the setting up of mist nets, using lightweight telescopic aluminium poles which extend up to 8 metres, a task Carles could handle single-handedly. Two 18-metre long nets and three 12-metre long ones were put up at strategic points around the lake and in the woods to intercept low-flying birds.
The birding session at the weekend began at dawn with the setting up of mist nets, using lightweight telescopic aluminium poles which extend up to 8 metres, a task Carles could handle single-handedly. Two 18-metre long nets and three 12-metre long ones were put up at strategic points around the lake and in the woods to intercept low-flying birds.
One of the first to fly into a net – a Great Tit
Carles needs all his skills and a great deal of patience to remove these trapped birds
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| One of the hardest to extricate -- a Green Woodpecker. |
REMOVING TRAPPED BIRDS
Perhaps the part that requires the greatest skill is the extraction of birds caught in nets. The nets set up by Carles trapped 23 birds from 13 species in two hours:
a Wren, 2 Serins, a Great Tit, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 3 Blackbirds, 4 Chiffchaffs, a Tree Sparrow, a Green Woodpecker, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Sardinian Warblers and a Willow Warbler.
Trapped birds have to be removed as speedily and as safely as possible. On hitting a mist net, birds become enclosed in a pocket of netting which folds around it. Left too long, they fall foul of biting winds, freeezing rain and predatory birds. Once extracted, birds are placed in bird bags -- light opaque cloth bags, one for each bird -- and taken to the ringing area.
Perhaps the part that requires the greatest skill is the extraction of birds caught in nets. The nets set up by Carles trapped 23 birds from 13 species in two hours:
a Wren, 2 Serins, a Great Tit, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 3 Blackbirds, 4 Chiffchaffs, a Tree Sparrow, a Green Woodpecker, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Sardinian Warblers and a Willow Warbler.
Trapped birds have to be removed as speedily and as safely as possible. On hitting a mist net, birds become enclosed in a pocket of netting which folds around it. Left too long, they fall foul of biting winds, freeezing rain and predatory birds. Once extracted, birds are placed in bird bags -- light opaque cloth bags, one for each bird -- and taken to the ringing area.
| Measuring the wingspan of the Green Woodpecker and then snapping a ring on it. |
Ringed and not liking it one bit, this Green Woodpecker makes its annoyance felt with loud alarm calls
BIRD BIO and THE SHY PICUS VIRIDIS...
Before fixing rings on the birds, Carles notes down data relevant to his current project on the birds is Sparrow Pond: wing span measurement, weight, molt status, and age. All the information and personal comments are fed into the Catalan Ornithological Institute's database and a available to researchers.
The surprise catch last week was the male Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis) above. With its bright green rump, red crown and red-centred moustachial stripe (black in colour on females), it cut a truly striking figure. And at 180g in weight and a wingspan of 161.5 mm, it was indeed the largest bird handled by Carles that early-Spring morning.
BIRD BIO and THE SHY PICUS VIRIDIS...
Before fixing rings on the birds, Carles notes down data relevant to his current project on the birds is Sparrow Pond: wing span measurement, weight, molt status, and age. All the information and personal comments are fed into the Catalan Ornithological Institute's database and a available to researchers.
The surprise catch last week was the male Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis) above. With its bright green rump, red crown and red-centred moustachial stripe (black in colour on females), it cut a truly striking figure. And at 180g in weight and a wingspan of 161.5 mm, it was indeed the largest bird handled by Carles that early-Spring morning.
The Green Woodpecker is somewhat different from the other members of the Picidae woodpecker family in one sense -- it rarely ever drums on trees. If fact it is rather shy and wary of people and, when climbing up a tree trunk or telephone pole, will move around to be on the side away from anyone watching. It has a short tail and a strong long bill.
Not a sound from this wren as it patiently subjects itself to ringing and then gets ready to take off
FROM LITTLE WRENS TO LARGE SWANS..
The Wren was the smallest bird caught in the net. One of the tiniest of the Passerines, it tipped the Pesola balance, designed for weighing birds, at a a mere 10g and had a wingspan of 47mm. The ring fitted to it happens to be the smallest in the range too -- just 2mm in diameter and weighing a mere 0.04 grammes. In contrast, the largest rings, which are fitted on anseriformes such as ducks, geese and swans, can weigh up to 4.5g and have a diameter of 26mm.
Cradling a Great Tit the right way.
Measuring the wingspan of of the Great Tit above is a simple enough exercise.What's not so easy is holding the bird in place while the job is done-- that, say the ringers, is the tricky bit and a major part of the training programme deals with it. A lot of practice is required to ensure that birds are neither physically hurt nor psychologically stressed during biometric sessions.
The Wren was the smallest bird caught in the net. One of the tiniest of the Passerines, it tipped the Pesola balance, designed for weighing birds, at a a mere 10g and had a wingspan of 47mm. The ring fitted to it happens to be the smallest in the range too -- just 2mm in diameter and weighing a mere 0.04 grammes. In contrast, the largest rings, which are fitted on anseriformes such as ducks, geese and swans, can weigh up to 4.5g and have a diameter of 26mm.
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| A Pesola balance with a Serin in a plastic bag being weighed (left), and butt-end rings with identification numbers issued by ICO (right) THE RINGS
Generally made of a lightweight magnesium-aluminium alloy, each ring carries a unique, internationally-identifiable reference number. Rings come in a whole range of sizes, up to 16 in most countries. The smallest are for birds like Wrens, Long-tailed Tits and Goldcrests. The next size up – the 2.3mm diameter, 0.05g ring – is used on nearly every other small bird – all the other members of the Tit family, Robins and Dunnocks, for example. Slightly bigger rings – between 2.5 and 3.3mm, and weighing between 0.06 and 0.07g -- are fitted on Swifts, Sparrows, Nuthatches and Greenfinches. Bigger rings are used on progressively bigger and bigger birds.
Ringers in Catalunya and the rest of Spain use ICONA and Ministry of th Environment- approved rings. ICONA is the acronym for Instituto para la Conservacion de la Naturaleza (Nature Reserve Institute) and is the administrative entity established in order to preserve and research the natural environment.
Features of Spanish rings:
Model Section Material Diameter Height Thickness Examples
(mm) (mm) (mm)
0 Circular Aluminium 2,0 5,0 0,3 Chiffchaff,Wwren,Wwillow Warbler
L Circular Aluminium 2,5 5,0 0,5 Nightingale, Blackcap
N Circular Aluminium 2,5 6,0 0,3 Great Tit
2 Circular Aluminium 2,8 5,7 0,5 Crested Lark, Nuthatch
T Circular Stainless steel 2,8 5,0 0,5 Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover
K Circular Aluminium 3,0 3,5 0,6 Kingfisher
V Circular Reinforced Alum. 3,5 4,5 0,6 Bee-eater, Song Thrush, Shrike
1V Circular Stainless steel 3,5 5,0 0,5 Hawfinch,Green Sandpiper
A* Circular Reinforced alum. 4,0 5,0 0,3 ---
3 Circular Reinforced Alum. 4,2 7,5 0,7 Blackbird, Great Spotted Woodpecker
3M Circular Stainless steel 4,2 6,5 0,7 Turnstone, Bulwer’s Petrel
4 Circular Stainless steel 5,5 5,5 0,7 Green Woodpecker, Magpie, Quail, Scops Owl
Y* Circular Alpaca 5,5 6,3 0,1 ----
5 Circular Stainless steel 7,0 10,5 1,2 Little Owl, Collared Dove
F* Circular Reinforced Alum. 8,0 9,0 0,7 ----
E* Circular Alpaca 8,5 8,5 0,3 ----
6 Circular Stainless steel 9,0 10,0 1,0 Partridge, Woodpigeon, pheasant
B* Circ/flap Reinforced Alum. 10,5 10,0 0,9 ----
7 Circular Stainless steel 11,0 10,0 1,0 Cattle Egret, Purple Swamphen
D* Triangular Alpaca 11,5 9,0 0,7 ----
8 Circular Reinforced Alum. 13,0 10,0 1,5 Northern Goshawk
G* Circ./flap Reinforced Alum. 14,0 15,0 1,3 ----
9 Circular Stainless steel 16,0 12,5 1,8 Shag, Black Stork
10 Circular Stainless steel 19,0 12,0 1,2 Eagle Owl, Great Cormorant
C* Circ./flap Aluminium 19,5 14,0 1,3 ----
11 Circ./rivet Stainless steel 26,0 12,0 1,2 Griffon Vulture
12 Circ./rivet Anodized Alum. 27,0 35,0 1,6 Lammergeier
*Models used exclusively by the Spanish Centre for Habitat Rehabilitation (Centre de Recuperació de Fauna)
The listing is currently being used by the Spanish Office of Migratory Species (OEM) and four accredited organisations, namely the Catalan Ornithological Society (Institut Català D'ornitologia, ICO), the Spanish Ornithological Society (SEO/BIRDLIFE: Sociedad Española de Ornitologia), the Doñana Biological Station (EBD:Estación Biológica De Doñana/CSIC), and the Balearic Group of Ornithology and Defence of Nature (Grup d'Ornitologia i Defensa De La Naturalesa Balear, GOB).
Rings used in Spain are designed based on the morphology of the bird and the size of its foot (tarsus or tibia), on feedback from the ringers, and on the habits of each bird itself. The tiny Chiffchaff, for example, would not be fitted with a stainless steel ring for obvious reasons, nor would a raptor with a soft aluminum ring. Neither would a bird that is always in the water be ringed with an alloy that could easily erode. Butting operation also varies among species -- some rings may need a screw bolt or lock bolt because they are made of a strong alloy which could not be butted in the conventional manner, while others, particularly very large birds, are fitted with split rings made up of two halves and then bolted at both ends.
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Measuring the wingspan of of the Great Tit above is a simple enough exercise.What's not so easy is holding the bird in place while the job is done-- that, say the ringers, is the tricky bit and a major part of the training programme deals with it. A lot of practice is required to ensure that birds are neither physically hurt nor psychologically stressed during biometric sessions.
It's Springtime for the Willow Warbler, close kin of the Chiffchaff
Another passerine that turned up for the first time in the mist nets of Sparrow Pond was this Willow Warbler, a sure sign that Spring had arrived in Catalonia. The Willow Warbler and the closely-related Chiffchaff, both strongly migratory, are among the first to return from their winter habitat in sub-Saharan Africa. The Willow Warbler is greenish brown above and off-white below, and sport plain greenish brown wings. At a distance it is almost impossible to distinguish it from the Chiffchaff.
THE MAKING OF AN AVIAN SANCTUARY
Another passerine that turned up for the first time in the mist nets of Sparrow Pond was this Willow Warbler, a sure sign that Spring had arrived in Catalonia. The Willow Warbler and the closely-related Chiffchaff, both strongly migratory, are among the first to return from their winter habitat in sub-Saharan Africa. The Willow Warbler is greenish brown above and off-white below, and sport plain greenish brown wings. At a distance it is almost impossible to distinguish it from the Chiffchaff.
THE MAKING OF AN AVIAN SANCTUARY
Sparrow Pond, located slightly further inland from the coastal regions has became recognised both as a stopover point as well as a nesting site for many species of birds both native and migrant. It is already being used as roosting haven for many species including the Ardeidae, a family of wading birds such as the herons, egrets, night herons, and bitterns, and the Corvidae family, of which the most prominent species here is the magpie. There is also an abundance of Green Woodpeckers that have made their presence felt.
Carles has put into place a continuous and long-term programme to obtain more accurate data that should establish the importance of Sparrow Pond as an avian sanctuary, and to make it a point of reference within the framework of inland wetlands.
Words & Pictures by Abul Fazil
Species observed or heard at Sparrow Pond on Saturday 26 March 2011
(English, Latin, Spanish, Catalan, German, French)
In red, species that made themselves heard but not seen (in brackets, the number of birds seen or heard)
1. Black Redstart, Phoenicurus ochruros, Colirrojo Tizón, Cotxa fumada, Hausrotschwanz, Rougequeue noir (2)
2. Blackbird, Turdus merula, Mirlo Común, Merla,Amsel, Merle noir (6 - a roosting site)
3. Blue Tit, Cyanistes caeruleus, Herrerillo Común, Mallerenga blava, Blaumeise, Mésange bleue (6)
4. Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis, Garcilla Bueyera, Esplugabous, Kuhreiher, Héron garde-bœufs (more than 20 - a roosting site)
5. Cetti's Warbler, Cettia cetti, Ruiseñor Bastardo,Rossinyol bord,Seidensänger, Bouscarle de Cetti (7)
6. Common Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus collybita, Mosquitero Común, Mosquiter comú, Zilpzalp, pouillot véloce (2)
7. Common Pheasant, Phasianus colchicus, Faisán Vulgar, Faisà,Fasan, Faisan de Colchid (4)
8. Common Starling, Sturnus vulgaris, Estornino Pinto, Estornell vulgar, Star, Étourneau sansonnet (2)
9. Common Woodpigeon, Columba palumbus, Paloma Torcaz, Tudó, Ringeltaube, Pigeon ramier (4)
10. Crested Lark, Galerida cristata, Cogujada Común, Cogullada vulgar, Haubenlerche, Cochevis huppé (7)
11. Eurasian Collared Dove, Streptopelia decaocto, Tórtola Turca, Tórtora turca, Elster, Pie bavarde (10)
12. European Serin, Serinus serinus, Verdecillo, Gafarró, Girlitz, Serin cini (8)
13. Great Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo, Cormorán Grande, Corb marí gros, Kormoran, Grand cormoran (2)
14. Great Tit, Parus major, Carbonero Común, Mallerenga carbonera, Kohlmeise, Mésange charbonnière (2)
15. Green Sandpiper, Tringa ochropus, Andarríos Grande, Xivita, Waldwasserläufer, Chevalier cul-blanc (1)
16. Green Woodpecker, Picus viridis, Pito Real, Picot Verd, Grünspecht, Pic Verd (4)
17. Greenfinch, Carduelis chloris, Verderón Común, Verdum, Grünling, Verdier d'Europe (8)
18. Grey Heron, Ardea cinerea, Garza Real, Bernat Pescaire, Graureiher, Héron Cendré (6)
19. Iberian Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus ibericus, Mosquitero Ibérico, Mosquiter Ibèric, Iberienzilpzalp, Pouillot Ibérique (3)
20. Little Owl, Athene noctua, Mochuelo Europeo, Mussol comú, Steinkauz, Chevêche d'Athéna (1,at noon)
21. Long-tailed Tit, Aegithalos caudatus, Mito, Mallerenga Cuallarga, Schwanzmeise, Mésange à longue queue (6)
22. Magpie, Pica pica, Urraca, Garsa, Blauelster, Pie bleue (20–roosting site)
23. Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos, Ánade Azulón, Ànec Collverd, Stockente, Canard Colvert (2)
24. Moorhen, Gallinula chloropus, Gallineta común, Polla d'aigua, Teichrallen, Gallinule poule d'eau (6)
25. Night Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax, Martinete Común, Martinet de Nit, Nachtreiher, Héron bihoreau (a pair)
26. Red-legged Partridge, Alectoris rufa, Perdiz Roja, Perdiu Roja, Rothuhn, Perdrix Rouge (5)
28. Sardinian Warbler, Sylvia melanocephala, Curruca Cabecinegra, Tallarol Capnegre, (6)
29. Song Thrush, Turdus philomelos, Zorzal común, Tord comú, Singdrossel, Griv musicienne (6)
30. Swallow, Hirundu Rustica, Golondrina Común, Oreneta Vulgar, Rauchschwalbe, Hirondelle decheminée (2)
31. Tree Sparrow, Passer montanus, Gorrión Molinero, Pardal Xarrec, Feldsperling, Moineau Friquet (2)
32. Willow Warbler, Phylloscopus trochilus, Mosquitero Musical, Mosquiter de Passa, Fitis, Pouillet Fitis (1)
33. Wren, Troglodytes troglodytes, Chochín Común, Cargolet, Zaunkönige, Troglodyte mignon (1)
This is an wonderful source of the most amazing information about all things avian, and I have enjoyed enormously reading the various reports and appreciating the stunning photos. I've learnt more about birds than I've ever imagined about them. As for this story, I'm full of admiration for the dedication of the ringers. One question I have is: are there instances of birds suffering or have their flying compromised because of being ringed?
ReplyDeleteREPLY from ornithologist and certified bird-ringer CARLES FURQUET:
DeleteThe use of the butt-end or open-end rings is a solid scientific technique which places paramount importance on the welfare of the ringed bird. This is why there are so many different models and types of alloy rings that take into account the physical characteristics of each species, all designed and precisely calibrated to minimise any adverse impact they may produce. Proof of the safety of the practice is the large amount of information generated from ornithological studies using this method. In no way do the rings affect the ability of the birds to fly. If it were otherwise, ornithologists would not be able to recover even a single ringed bird and, obviously, would not be able to carry out any investigation on avian migration using this method. Nevertheless, no system of marking, like everything in life, can be said to be one hundred percent innocuous, but it is clear that the bird will not be affected in any way if the most suitable ring is used for each species and if it is placed properly and carefully by experienced ringers. As a matter of record, studies made to examine the impact of placing rings on birds have found that the practice is completely safe.
-- CARLES FURQUET.