Colour ringing of Coots in North West

[Lensman400]

A new project has started ringing Coots with individual colour rings. This is being carried out throughout the North West mainly in - Greater Manchester, Lancashire and the Lake District. Each bird ringed - will carry 3 colour rings + a standard BTO metal ring - please see photo attached for an example.

The combination is:
Right leg - Colour above BTO metal ring.
Left leg - Colour ring above Colour ring.

Ten colours are being used - White, Black, Red, Yellow, Orange, Dark Blue, Light Blue, Green and Purple.

If you spot one the individual the full colour ring combination must be read. These can be reported online at Euring Web Recoveries Index - full ringing / resighting information will be provided.

[Chas]

Why?

[Lensman400]

The simple answer is the business maxim, "if you can't measure it you can't manage it." Ringing will allow a fuller undestanding migration patterns, important for even common species like the Coot.

[Chas]

Yes but why do we need to know migration patterns of Coots, probably one of the UK's most commonly encountered birds? In the meanwhile is it fair to subject the poor old 'common-or-garden" Coot to the stress of capture and the indignity of wearing three plastic rings and a metal one for the rest of it's life? At times we should just leave well alone and let wild things be wild!

[The Woodman]

Presumeably the Coots are netted to facilitate ringing, L400?

Is this done on the water?

[PMG]

Cos its going to be useful to know where coots come and go from and to - you see lots of coots ie at Pennington Flash but how many are 'locally ours' and how many are moving around local - or maybe not so local waters? Monitoring common birds (knowledge gained) is just as important as knowing where uncommon or rare stuff is ...... we were always aware of build up and vice versa of coots at the Flash but had no idea where they were comming from or going off again to and the fact that they do these movements usually in the dark is also interesting ..........

[Chas]

I am sure it as all very interesting and I am sure that information will be gained but is it really necessary to know, apart from it being a little bit interesting. As it happens I am a Trainee Ringer so I do fully understand why we do it, I decided to train to get a real insight in to what went on. I have to say that having watched and taken part in netting capture and ringing my conclusion is that there is a considerable amount of stress involved. If Coots were declining there would be a case to find out why. But to then use the argument that they are increasing so lets put rings on them then sounds a bit crazy. I am sure it is just part of this culture we are part of, to control everything around us that is.