Hello all
This leg-flagged bird is possibly one of the few survivors from the
atrocity that resulted from the mass flagging of 1000+ Sanderling of an
estimated population of 1200 birds found inhabiting the beaches of western
victoria and south eastern south australia. That was the population of
Sanderling for many years in that area until the wader leg flagging program
commenced and now, nearly all of the flagged birds have perished, many of
them within 12 months. The banders claim that these missing birds are not
site faithful! But this outrageous claim is refuted by observations of
aberrant plumaged birds at other locations that return year after year.
The bird banding protocol is supposed to restrict the number of leg flagged
birds to 3% (of their local population?). The Sanderling example is an
obvious abuse of the rules but what accountability is there?
Sanderling must run freely to feed, following rapidly the incoming and
receding waves along the ocean coast. Leg flags placed on these birds is
insane, an abuse matched only by the insensitivity of leg flagging
Phalaropes, and they flag phalaropes too when they can find them. Leg flags
restrict the bird's movements and attract attention of predators. Most leg
flagged waders die as a result of their manacles and the smaller the bird,
the sooner it dies.
Marilyn.
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Subject: [BIRDING-AUS] Sanderlings at Black Rock, Victoria
Date: Tue, 16 Nov 2004 21:59:42 +1100
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