Bird ringing and nest recording in Britain and Ireland in 2013

Abstract

This is the 77 th annual report of the British Trust for Ornithology's Ringing Scheme, incorporating the report of the Nest Record Scheme and covering work carried out and data processed in 2013.In recent years the schemes have focused on the collection of demographic data as part of our Integrated Population Monitoring programme. We expanded (from 10 to 17) the number of species for which we were able to construct integrated models and identified differences in the relative contributions of recruitment and adult survival to population change between increasing and decreasing species.Recruitment of young into the breeding population can be difficult to estimate. We investigated the use of proportions of birds in their second calendar year, or older, caught in the early summer using Blackbird Turdus merula as a model. Results showed that recruitment was a more important determinant of population change than survival.Changes in phenology are being documented widely and we carried out analyses looking at the timing of moult and reproduction in selected passerine species. Patterns in timing and duration of moult varied between resident species but were more aligned within migrant species, which also moulted faster. Temperature on spring breeding grounds accounts for more variation between years in breeding phenology than precipitation rates on the wintering grounds in 19 migrant species but neither climate variable affected clutch size.We continued to emphasise the value of targeted ringing and nest recording; increased participation in our structured ringing schemes has provided additional opportunities to improve the quality of demographic monitoring. Long-term (1984Long-term ( -2012 population trends derived from the Constant Effort Sites (CES) data have changed little in the past year. Three of the eight migrant species monitored by CES showed significant increases in productivity compared to the five-year average, although Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus recorded its second-lowest productivity since CES began in 1983. Breeding performance of residents was mixed, with juvenile:adult ratios for some early breeders significantly lower than during the preceding five years, but significantly higher for some late breeders; one late-breeding resident species, Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula, had its highest productivity since CES began. Data were submitted for 124 sites.The number of active RAS projects in 2013 was 154, with 22 new projects, 13 of which involved RAS target species. The total number of birds ringed in 2013 decreased slightly (952,750) compared to 2012 and comprised 424,401 first-year birds, 355,278 adults (birds in their second calendar year or older), 19,776 unaged birds and 153,295 nestlings. In addition, there were 241,111 recaptures of ringed birds at or near the ringing site. The reduction in numbers ringed compared to 2012 was probably a result of weather events in 2013.In 2013, there were 465 colour-marking projects registered, covering a total of 110 species; 65 new projects were registered...

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