In the Kandalaksha nature Reserve they told about the banding of birds

Work on bird banding continues on the territory of the Kandalaksha Nature Reserve (Murmansk Region). Both employees and invited specialists and volunteers are involved in this, the press service of the organization reported on Wednesday, July 30.

For example, the banding process is currently underway in the White Sea part of the reserve. It is carried out both during nesting bird surveys and during special visits to colonies when the chicks are already grown up.

Metal rings are mainly used for banding seagulls, but in the last 20 years they have begun to put rings made of plastic on birds. In the Kandalaksha Nature Reserve, white ones are used, they can be used to determine the place of banding, writes Bi-port news agency.

Plastic rings are more informative because the number is written large on them. It can be read without catching a bird — at close range or with binoculars. As a result, the number of reports of sightings of such birds has increased dramatically. For some individuals, messages from wintering grounds or nesting sites arrive almost annually.

At the same time, the number of rings returned is very small. To obtain information about a ringed bird, it must either be recaptured or found dead. Most types give no more than 1% refunds. The largest percentage of returns from birds that serve as objects of hunting and fishing is up to 20% for ducks. When labeled with ordinary rings, gulls and sandpipers give from 2 to 5% returns.

Earlier, Izvestia wrote about the smuggling of rare animals in Russia. Exotic animals, birds and reptiles in certain circles have long turned into status luxury items. The demand for them in the shadow market is only growing along with the price.

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