EURING GENERAL MEETING
CHEMNITZ, AUGUST 2003

MATSALU (ESTONIA) - NATIONAL REPORT

1. Organisation

Matsalu Bird Ringing Centre is a part of the Matsalu Nature Reserve. Ringing in Estonia started in 1910; rings with signature ESTONIA MATSALU are in use since 1970.

2. Staff

Two persons are employed in ringing centre – Kaarel Kaisel (Head of Scheme) and Eva Kastepõld, both working full-time.

3. Ringers

About 100 active ringers. Currently five ringing stations are operating in Estonia – on west-coast – Lao, Häädemeeste and Kabli on mainland and Sõrve on Saaremaa island, plus Vaibla station on Võrtsjärv Lake. Ringers do not pay for rings.

4. Ringing activity

68 916 birds (of 163 different species) were ringed in 2001 with Matsalu rings. In Byelorussia138 birds (mainly raptors) were ringed with our rings. Additionally 15 bats of two species were ringed. 775 recoveries were recorded in 2001.
By preliminary data 67 993 birds were ringed in 2002. Now the Grand Total of ringed birds exceeds 2 931 000, and there are more than 40 000 recoveries.

5. Rings

15 different ring sizes are in use. Most of aluminium rings are made in Estonia, in last two years smallest rings were ordered from Aranea as well as steel rings.

6. Data management

So far all data are in paper files. Until 2000 ringing reports were published. However, development of database program with new EURING exchange codes has begun and is to be ready within few months. This will also allow ringers to computerise their information by themselves. It is also planned to publish next ringing reports via the internet.

Kaarel Kaisel
90305, Matsalu NR,
Läänemaa, ESTONIA
Ph: 372-4724221
Fax: 372-4724235
Email: ring@matsalu.ee

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