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Bird ringing or banding is a scientific method carried out by licensed ornithologists, in which birds are captured, marked (usually with a metal ring) and measured using standard procedures. This method allows to track individual birds throughout their lifetime, which is essential for the study of many aspects of their biology e.g. migration, behaviour, population dynamics, breeding systems etc. The data gathered during ringing can also be very relevant for the conservation of species, communities and habitats.
My main ringing activities are carried out at Salreu marshlands, Ria de Aveiro, Portugal, where I’ve been studying in detail several species of marshland passerines, especially the Savi’s Warbler (Locustella luscinioides) and the Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus). In 2009, I started a constant-effort site at Salreu, together with the Portuguese Ringers Association (APAA), but it was discontinued in 2013 due to changes in the habitat. The results are described at APAA and GOA webpages.
In May 2013, I obtained a full ringing permit in Sweden, where I'm involved in some research projects. In 2014, I started a constant-effort site in Krankesjön, Skåne, for which I created another webpage, and hopefully it will continue during the next few years.
I also started a new project in 2009, which involves the capture and ringing of Aquatic Warblers (Acrocephalus paludicola) during the migratory periods using song playback. I’ve shown that this threatened species might be far more common in Portugal than what has been previously thought, but the ringing effort in this country is quite low. Hence, as a member of the Aquatic Warbler Conservation Team, I contacted collaborators and asked them to use the same methodology at several sites in Portugal, so that we learn more about the origin of the birds (using biometrics, stable isotopes and genetic markers) and the stopover ecology. Results so far show that Salreu marshlands are by far the most important location in Portugal for this species, where at least some individuals replenish their energy reserves on their way to sub-Saharan Africa.
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