Hi again.
"Paul wrote
Even in the worst case, I think that leg banding would have a minimal
impact, and I suspect probably a
zero impact."
Not necessarily so when dealing with vulnerable, threatened species. We
could play chess around this subject forever. What catching method is used
to catch Sittellas and Treecreepers? How are such birds handled? What
appears to be common sense to one seems ridiculous to another.
Multiple flags, tags or bands on a highly mobile, tree climbing bird such as
a Sittella is unlikely to help it survive. What does "the ethics committee"
say about that? When only a few individuals of a vulnerable species remain
in any area, there is a real case for applying the oft quoted "precautionary
principle" relating to the study of those few individuals remaining. IMHO,
banding Sittellas and Tree creepers is akin to leg flagging a Phalarope, and
until objective studies can demonstrate that catching and handling small
birds has absolutely no impact on any of them, vulnerable populations should
not be touched.
Ian May
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