Bird Ringing for Science and Conservation
We live in a rapidly changing world where human activities are causing rapid declines in many species of animals and plants, linked to widespread environmental change. This new EURING brochure, compiled by Matthias Kestenholz, explains how bird ringing is contributing to conservation science and how EURING's activities can be developed further to address some of the conservation challenges of the 21st century. Download your copy here (.pdf 1.86Mb).

Constant Effort Sites Ringing (CES) aims to monitor the trends in abundance, productivity and survival of songbirds throughout Europe. By studying productivity and survival we can investigate the demographic mechanisms responsible for population changes. CES schemes are now undertaken by volunteer ringers in some 11 countries throughout Europe, with coverage increasing each year. EURING is working to co-ordinate this important monitoring effort and has developed guidelines to promote standardisation between countries. For details of CES coverage throughout Europe and a copy of the guidelines click here.

European Longevity Records
Bird ringing provides much valuable information on survival rates and average life expectancies within bird populations. It also allows us to find out the maximum ages to which wild birds can live. An updated list of longevity records recorded through European bird ringing has been produced by Roland Staav of the Swedish Museum of Natural History in Stockholm. The record is held by a Manx Shearwater recaptured by a ringer 49 years and 8 months after being ringed as full-grown. This individual was clearly over 50 years. Two other species, Fulmar and Oystercatcher, also have records over 40 years. The oldest record of a passerine is a Starling found dead 22 years and 11 months after ringing. To view the full list or to find out how to submit further records click here.

Migration Mapping Tool published
EURING is actively involved in research on the movements of wild birds in relation to the potential transmission of High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI). We have recently collaborated with Wetlands International to produce a web-based Migration Mapping Tool which can be viewed here.
We have also contributed to a report entitled “Urgent preliminary assessment of ornithological data relevant to the spread of Avian Influenza in Europe”. Both projects were funded by the European Commission. Further research is currently in progress at several European ringing centres. EURING has produced a position statement on Avian Influenza outlining the reasons why continued bird ringing is essential and the hygiene precautions that are need to ensure that it can be done safely. For further information click here.

The EURING databank (EDB) holds ring recovery data gathered by bird ringing schemes throughout Europe and is hosted by the British Trust for Ornithology in Thetford. The EDB index, published on this website in June 2004, provides a summary of the information that is held in the EDB, including maps of the distributions of ringing and recovery locations. EURING wishes to promote more analysis of these data and welcomes applications to analyse particular data sets. To view the index and to find out how to apply to analyse data from the EDB click here.

The use of a web address on rings issued throughout Europe is being tested in a trial organised by EURING. In addition to the standard postal address the trial rings carry the address www.ring.ac This will take users to a multi-language website where they can enter details of the bird they have found. Finders will be informed about the ringing details of birds that they report in the usual way.
Any recovery can be reported via the multi-language website which can be found here.