Fwd: Re: [BIRDING-AUS] Bird Banding Terms.

["Underground Parrot" <>]

> From: N_ight >
> To:  
> Subject: Re: [BIRDING-AUS] Bird Banding Terms.
> Date: Wed, 29 Nov 2000 12:50:51 -0000
>
> Hi Andrew
>
> Thanks for your reply.   There are some questions about bird banding that 
> plague me and i would value the considered opinion of members on this 
> subject.
> Is it possible that fitting bands to a large bird such as an Albatross is a 
> different proposition from doing this to a small bird?   Is it probable 
> that an Albatross may be able to survive this activity better than say a 
> Regent Honeyeater or perhaps an Orange-bellied Parrot that must fly Bass 
> Strait winter storms.   Is a partly immobilised leg to a wader a greater 
> disadvantage to its survival than say one partly immobilised leg to an 
> Albatross.   Does a seabird with a single metal band on one leg have a 
> better chance of long term survival than a wader with multiple bands and 
> flags on both legs?   Do wing tags disadvantage a small migratory wader on 
> its flight from Australia to Siberia?
> It seems surprising that radio tracking was required to prove that 
> Albatrosses were flying into the fishing zones.   Is there anywhere over 
> the oceans south of Australia where the Albatross does not fly?
> Anyway thanks for the opportunity to express this.
>
> NP
>
>
>
> > From: "Andrew Stafford" <>
> > To: N_ight >
> > CC: <>
> > Subject: Re: [BIRDING-AUS] Bird Banding Terms.
> > Date: Wed, 29 Nov 2000 17:38:31 +1100
> >
> > Hi NP,
> >
> > I'm not personally involved in bird banding operations, but over many 
> > years
> > have observed dozens of banded Wandering Albatross re-captured aboard the
> > Sandra K off Wollongong. Many of the birds were originally banded many 
> > years
> > ago and showed no signs of injury or inconvenience, much less the
> > catastrophic fates that you so consistently allude to.
> >
> > Pretty much the entire population of Amsterdam Albatross has been banded,
> > yet as far as I'm aware their numbers have remained stable (albeit
> > critically low).
> >
> > I don't have a problem with discussing the merits vs demerits of banding 
> > on
> > birding-aus. There is no doubt that fatalities occur and this is a
> > significant issue to be addressed. However, this must be weighed up 
> > against
> > the benefits. If albatrosses hadn't been banded or (less often)
> > radio-tracked, we may not have known that female Wanderers were flying
> > directly into major long-line fishing zones.
> >
> > Obviously many people think you're joking. I can't see why you'd bother, 
> > so
> > may I suggest you provide some actual evidence for your claims about
> > banding? That would certainly be a valid contribution to the discussion 
> > and
> > you would be less likely to be removed from the list. Observers may also 
> > be
> > prepared to overlook your failure to identify yourself in person.
> >
> > Think about it.
> >
> > Cheers
> >
> > AS
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