Oldest [known] Wild Bird in Britain

["Optus Mail" <>]

Seabirds are notoriously long lived.

Ironically, some of the more famous examples from Europe come in the form of
Black-browed Albatrosses. A single female returned annually to the Faeroe
Islands for 34 years up to 1894. Another bird turned up in the UK annually
from 1972 to 1987 then a bird believed to be the same bird turned up again
in 1990 for a few years - this bird would've been at least 20 years old.

While I was bird-banding at the Wash we caught an Oysercatcher that, if my
memory serves me correctly, was getting on for 30 years old.

Simon.