Bird ringing

Bird ringing in Britain and Ireland is organised and co-ordinated by the British Trust for Ornithology. A network of over 2,400 highly-trained and licensed volunteers currently ring over 800,000 birds every year.

Ringing helps investigate how long birds live and when and where they move, which is vital information for bird conservation. Placing a light, uniquely numbered ring around a bird’s leg is a reliable and harmless method of identifying birds as individuals. Some projects use colour rings to allow identification without catching birds.

Why are there some rings with Brit Museum on them?

Historically, the British Trust for Ornithology has used the address Brit Museum NH, London, SW7. This refers to the Natural History Museum in South Kensington, London and not the British Museum, which does not have any involvement in bird-ringing. This address was used because the words London and Museum are easily recognisable, even to those who do not speak English.