Tay Ringing Group - Ornithology conservation charity - bird and habitat research into their biodiversity, population or environment

Projects in Operation

The Constant Effort Sites (CES) scheme provides information on population size, breeding success and survival of bird species living in scrub and wetland habitats and the scheme has been running since 1983. There is a need to monitor bird populations through time in order to conserve them effectively. Firstly, we need to know whether numbers are stable or changing, whether decreasing or increasing. If there is a change in numbers, particularly a decrease, we need to know why. Conservation action can then be targeted appropriately. Ringers who operate a CES site set their nets in the same pattern, for the same time period at regular intervals through the breeding season, which provides valuable key information on changes in population size, changes in breeding success and adult survival rates for 25 species of common songbird. The Tay Ringing group has CES sites across Tayside.

The Retrapping Adults for Survival (RAS) project gathers survival data for a wide range of species, particularly those of current conservation concern. The Tay Ringing Group have an active RAS project in operation on the north bank of the River Tay, in the largest reed bed in the UK. The ringing activities are recorded and the information reported to SNH and the BTO for further statistical research.

Further details of Tay Ringing Group projects in operation will be posted here soon