Well banded Plover ..

[PhotoLover]

Maybe somebody familiar with the banding process can tell me what all these bands are for ... the photo is mildly cute, but the bands are the unusual thing to me. I count five bands.

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[agrumpybirdphotographer]

Hi,

Bird ringing (banding) allows information to be collected on the lifespan, breeding and migration / movements of birds, helping to understand the birds habits, migration routes and breeding ranges etc.

Ringing data makes a major contribution to the study of bird populations help the understanding of species declines.

Here in the UK bird ringing goes back to 1909 and 3000 volunteers ring approximately 1million birds in the UK and Ireland every year.

Coloured rings help identify individuals in the field and can be reported to the relevant organisations so that movement, breeding, age and other parameters can be monitored.

Hope this helps.

About ringing

Ringing generates information on the survival, productivity and movements of birds, helping us to understand why populations are changing. 004841-Nuthatch-Balmer (1)_0.jpg The British and Irish Ringing Scheme is organised by the BTO. Over 900,000 birds are ringed in Britain and Ireland each...

www.bto.org

 

[Woody Meristem]

Perhaps one of the most important reasons for banding is that it enables the determination of important, even vital, habit for breeding, migration rest/feeding stop-offs and wintering. As I recall, Thomas Jefferson (yes that Thomas Jefferson) was one of the first to band a bird(s) -- he used a very thin silver wire. No, I wasn't there -- I'm old but not that old.

 

[Whiskeyman]

... No, I wasn't there -- I'm old but not that old.

Are you sure about that, Woody?

 

[Callie]

A little punk plover, very much in vogue, but no idea where he got his jewelry and what it means. Normally, one has a number on that can be checked against a data base once retrieved.

 

[Oldnintheway]

Find your local researchers and send them the photos. They'll appreciate it, and likely give you some history of the bird.