Killed in Latvia, Siberian Rubythroat (1 Viewer)

Jos Stratford · Nov 9, 2016

Have to say I am a bit shocked by this.

Picture below is the first ever Siberian Rubythroat recorded in Latvia.

You may notice it is dead ...and why is it dead? Because some dim-witted ornithologist clearly forgot he was in the 21st Century! The bird was caught for ringing by a well-known ornithologist and, apparently as the guy couldn't identity it, he decided to kill it to obtain the specimen. Didn't the idiot have a camera, at least on his phone? Couldn't he have written a description instead? Call someone to come and see? No, better to just kill it.

I have no idea if the Latvian ringing scheme will condemn this totally wasted killing or sanction the guy involved, but I know there are true ornithologists both in Latvia and here in Lithuania that are furious that this could happen. If he couldn't care less about the welfare of birds, I personally think he should lose his ringing license.

Birding and conservation have advanced enormously in the Baltic States in the years I have been in this part of the world, there are many highly talented birders and indeed bird ringers ... dinosaurs like this are a slur to many good birders and ornithologists now active

If anybody from the Latvian ringing scheme happens to read this, maybe a response?

dantheman · Nov 9, 2016

:-C

Have to say that when you used the word 'obtained' on the rarities thread, that was the first thought, despite your expressed hopes otherwise. Depressing.

Miilda · Nov 9, 2016

dantheman said:
:-C

Have to say that when you used the word 'obtained' on the rarities thread, that was the first thought, despite your expressed hopes otherwise. Depressing.

The message in Tarsiger was changed recently. Now it sounds like this:
1st-winter female Siberian Rubythroat trapped (for ringing), but "collected" for ID etc. at Lauteri, Salacgriva county 3rd November, the 1st record for Latvia
(source: www.latvijasputni.lv)

In Latvijasputni.lv is this message:
03.11.2016.
NEW SPECIES FOR LATVIA!!! Siberian Rubythroat (Luscinia calliope) 1 1cy F obtained at Lauteri, Salacgriva county (J.Lipsbergs).

So, I presume that J.Lipsbergs is responsible for this brutal act. Such a shame for the whole country!

delia todd · Nov 9, 2016

That makes very sad reading Jos.

What a shame.

Title changed for you!

Phil Andrews · Nov 9, 2016

Wow - I am amazed and appalled in equal measure. It's like going back a century.... Surely the must to some form of censure to deter similar events in the future?

Jos Stratford · Nov 9, 2016

delia todd said:
That makes very sad reading Jos.
What a shame.

Made me sad writing it. Senseless collecting basically because the guy is incompetent.

RafaelMatias · Nov 9, 2016

Depressing indeed...

timwootton · Nov 9, 2016

Jos Stratford said:
Made me sad writing it. Senseless collecting basically because the guy is incompetent.

then quite clearly he should never be allowed to handle wild birds again.
I find trophy ringing a tad distasteful, but to 'claim' a life in such a way is simply disgraceful.

Jos Stratford · Nov 9, 2016

timwootton said:
then quite clearly he should never be allowed to handle wild birds again.

I have written an e-mail to the Latvian ringing scheme to ask them to comment/add more information and whether any sanction will be taken. Will update if I receive a reply.

nickderry · Nov 9, 2016

not adding much to the discussion really, just expressing my disgust. Even if the ringer couldn't identify it, there's never any need to kill the bird - plenty of 'could haves' and 'probably was's in my experience, but apart from one or two accidents as a driver - I've never killed a bird, and certainly not just to check its identity!

timwootton · Nov 9, 2016

Jos Stratford said:
I have written an e-mail to the Latvian ringing scheme to ask them to comment/add more information and whether any sanction will be taken. Will update if I receive a reply.

Thanks Jos - sorry if the tone of my first reply was curt - clearly this wasn't directed at you (but it may have been read that way). Thanks for bringing it to light and your subsequent actions.
Hope you get more information. It's the end of the line for this unfortunate bird but the consequences of this one person's actions may inform others in the future.
All the best - Tim

rockfowl · Nov 9, 2016

Appalled Jos, hope to hear further details.

Jos Stratford · Nov 9, 2016

timwootton said:
Thanks Jos - sorry if the tone of my first reply was curt - clearly this wasn't directed at you (but it may have been read that way).

No worries, it did not read as curt at all, I merely answered to your post to add that I had now contacted the ringing scheme to hear their views. Hopefully, if they see this thread and its condemnations, it may help prompt them to issue a clear directive at least to prevent such actions in the future.

CerambyX · Nov 9, 2016

First of all - it's really unprecedented situation and at least those birders with whom I have spoken are also not exactly happy with how the situation was handled.

But on the other hand i don't want to be too harsh on the [un]lucky finder as he, though hasn't been really involved in bird ringing/birdwatching scene in recent years (so rarity ID skills and modern 'birding ethics' probably are not up-to-date), otherwise still has very good reputation among other ornithologists (he's our leading Eagle Owl researcher). He is from the older generation (77 y.o.) and during his younger days (70ties/80ties) when he was also active ringer it was still not uncommon to collect birds for museum collections etc. I guess idea about bird welfare etc. in Soviet Union wasn't as advanced as in Western Europe.

Considering his old age, his background and judging from the info I've heard - also circumstances during that exact day (couldn't reliably ID the bird, cold weather, no camera by hand?, no other birders/ringers near by) I guess his thought was that the killing of the bird would be best option to ensure the correct ID of the bird. So while it does not look pretty I can assure that it does not represent 'average' birder/ringer/ornithologist in Latvia - if there was anyone else in his place, nothing like that would have happened. Sometimes the stars just align in such way that... well - shit happens. Plenty of other times national firsts that have been caught for ringing have been documented very well without killing said birds - first Arctic Warbler in 2011 was even photographed with film camera and it took a while until the film was developed and pictures were seen. So 99.99% of the time stuff like this doesn't happen.

And also seems that the honesty this time didn't pay off - if it was written just 'found dead' than no one would even think about it twice

timwootton · Nov 9, 2016

Thanks for that. It does go a long way to explaining the circumstances and I share your obvious frustration that the 'stars had aligned' thus. You're quite right, they do sometimes. I'm still uncomfortable with the killing (and any ringer has bags; birds can be kept for many hours - preferably not, but still preferable to killing - in bags, til other birders arrive . . . with cameras or ID guide? (Do folk actually take it on themselves to go netting and ringing without a decent text to refer to? Do they expect to recognise everything they catch?)
Hopefully these 'old' ways will die out in due course. Hopefully before the next rubythroat is unlucky enough to grace your shores.
Respect for your eloquent explanation. Condolences on the loss of a wonderful bird.

Jos Stratford · Nov 10, 2016

CerambyX said:
he hasn't been really involved in bird ringing/birdwatching scene in recent years (so rarity ID skills and modern 'birding ethics' probably are not up-to-date), otherwise still has very good reputation among other ornithologists (he's our leading Eagle Owl researcher). He is from the older generation (77 y.o.) and during his younger days (70ties/80ties) when he was also active ringer it was still not uncommon to collect birds for museum collections etc. I guess idea about bird welfare etc. in Soviet Union wasn't as advanced as in Western Europe.

Considering his old age, his background and judging from the info I've heard - also circumstances during that exact day (couldn't reliably ID the bird, cold weather, no camera by hand?, no other birders/ringers near by) I guess his thought was that the killing of the bird would be best option to ensure the correct ID of the bird.

Explains, but does not really excuse. The first principal of bird ringing is, and has to be, the welfare of the bird.

If his id skills and thoughts regarding bird welfare are not up to date, then the Latvian Bird Ringing Centre should really be thinking whether it is correct to allow him to continue ringing. With full respect to this gentleman for his research elsewhere, he should at least be informed that this cannot happen again - nobody should be ringing birds if they believe it is correct to kill the birds they have caught if they can't identify them.

CerambyX said:
I can assure that it does not represent 'average' birder/ringer/ornithologist in Latvia

This I completely agree with - I hoped I worded my initial post to reflect this. In neighbouring Lithuania for example, I can say that the generation of ringers now active at Ventes Ragas for example are excellent, being both truly knowledgeable and caring about the birds. I know there are many elsewhere in Lithuania and Latvia likewise. This, I think, makes it even more important to raise the standards amongst the small minority that don't share the same modern principles - having press such as 'national first trapped for ringing, but collected' on sites such as Tarsiger, etc, reflects badly on all.

trw · Nov 10, 2016

timwootton said:
then quite clearly he should never be allowed to handle wild birds again.
I find trophy ringing a tad distasteful, but to 'claim' a life in such a way is simply disgraceful.

Apparently ringers catch birds for purely altruistic reasons- to further the knowledge of birds for scientific means.
I agree with your statement except for the 'tad' bit.
I spent years working with autistic people from the mild to the severe.SOME birdwatchers,twitchers and ringers I've met are on the spectrum and this would explain their obsessive behaviour.It can be a very sad and distressing condition,believe me.
I have put the word 'SOME' into uppercase because there are a few people who read internet forums who cannot distinguish between the word 'some' and 'all',or they think it means 'most'.

wolfbirder · Nov 10, 2016

CerambyX said:
And also seems that the honesty this time didn't pay off - if it was written just 'found dead' than no one would even think about it twice

Perhaps he wanted to be the only birder in Latvia to be able to add it to his list.

Very sad situation, but appreciate the full explanation :t:.

ESTEBANNIC · Nov 10, 2016

This is unacceptable... :C Measurements , a couple of photos, maybe a few sample feathers and away without a ring. Enough for ample ID in this day and age. This guy cannot be called a ringer or and ornithologist and should have his licence pulled for violating the prime directive of ringing, which is to always put the bird first. A typical example of a bad apple that gives ringing a bad name.

GWB77 · Nov 10, 2016

This is truly unacceptable. I cannot understand how anyone could ever have this mind-set.

Never should the identification of a bird be more important than the survival of the individual.

Killed in Latvia, Siberian Rubythroat (1 Viewer)

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