EURING General Meeting - Chemnitz, August 2003

Report of Budapest Ringing Scheme, Hungary

Hungarian Bird Ringing Centre
MME/Birdlife Hungary
H-1121 Budapest, Költo u. 21., Hungary
Tel.: +36-1-275-6247
Fax: +36-1-275-6267
E-mail: ringers@mme.hu

Organisation

The Hungarian Bird Ringing Centre is run by Birdlife Hungary (MME, Hungarian Ornithological and Nature Conservation Society) since 1976. Bird ringing started in Hungary in 1908.

Staff

Head of Scheme (full-time)
Gergo Halmos

Cooperative collegues at the Environmental Ministry (part time working for the ringing centre)
Zsolt Karcza
László Simon

Civil army service personals
Usually 1-2 persons are working for the ringing centre. Their tasks usually to computerise data, produce rings and help in daily administrative work. Next year this possibility two have cheap workforce will be ended.
This year András Balázs and Róbert Künsztler

Ringers

In 2003 every licensed ringer had to take an exam regarding nature conservation law. 230 ringers passed the exam and have a valid ringing licence now. There wasn’t an examination for new ringers since 1997, when the new regulation put the job of organising the examination to the Environmental Ministry. Very possibly we can have the exam until the end of this year.

Rings

There are 11 different ring sizes in use and most of the aluminium rings are made in Hungary. A few series of steel rings, and two ring sizes are imported from Mekaniska, Sweden. Ringers don’t pay for the rings except colour, steel or any other special rings which are purchased on request.

Other equipment

Import of mist nets and spring balances is organized exclusively by the Ringing Centre. Mist nets are imported mainly from Ecotone, Poland, and the spring balances from Pesola, Switzerland. Ringing plyers are made in Hungary.

Ringings & Recoveries

In 2001 165,710 birds were ringed which is the highest annual total ever in Hungary. The second highest total was 159,421 in 2000. In 2002 more than 180.000 birds were ringed. Foreign recoveries in the database:

Computerisation

All ringing and recovery data have been computerised since 1994, including 70% backward computerisation. A new central software is used since 2001, but some functions and a ringer’s version are still under construction. 40-50% of the data from ringers and ringing projects come in computerised format all other on paper. The central database now holds 2.5 million records.

Problems

The lack of exam for new ringers is a serious problem for a lot of projects.
The yearly support of the Environmental Ministry doesn’t cover the expenses.

Finance

The ringing centre is financed from a partnership between Birdlife Hungary and the Environmental Ministry from grants and by the Birdlife Hungary.

Annual Report

The last years’ missing reports will be published again in the international journal Aquila. The report for 1998/1999 is already out and will be circulated at the meeting.

Projects

Hungary is involved in the EURING Swallow project. A network of ringing stations is running called ‘Actio Hungarica’. Colour ringing project species are Mute swan, Mediterranean gull, Black-headed gull, Black stork, Spoonbill and Imperial Eagle.

Gergo Halmos
15 August 2003

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