Reading a blog from a ringer today saying how many birds he had caught made me think.
Is all this catching birds in nets and traps necessary?
I know ringers will argue it gives us vital information about bird movements,lifespans,condition of the birds etc.
But when we already have so much information is it absolutely imperitive we are catching say 40 Greenfinch as I read today.How much more information do we need to learn about Greenfinches for example?
I wonder if in some cases its more for the benefit of the ringers because its their pastime and perhaps their competetive hobby to catch as many birds as possible.Are they doing it for the birds or for more selfish reasons?
It can't be much fun for the poor birds being trapped in a net then put in a bag before being man handled.To add to the ordeal a metal ring is put on its leg which it will have to carry around for the rest of its life.
Would the ringers like to be treated like this and forced to have a metal ring around their leg forever?
Is all this catching birds in nets and traps necessary?
I know ringers will argue it gives us vital information about bird movements,lifespans,condition of the birds etc.
But when we already have so much information is it absolutely imperitive we are catching say 40 Greenfinch as I read today.How much more information do we need to learn about Greenfinches for example?
I wonder if in some cases its more for the benefit of the ringers because its their pastime and perhaps their competetive hobby to catch as many birds as possible.Are they doing it for the birds or for more selfish reasons?
It can't be much fun for the poor birds being trapped in a net then put in a bag before being man handled.To add to the ordeal a metal ring is put on its leg which it will have to carry around for the rest of its life.
Would the ringers like to be treated like this and forced to have a metal ring around their leg forever?
Last edited: