No, the Bar-tailed Godwit example is not comparable. Although I wouldn't be surprised if significant harm is caused to larger waders by leg flagging
them, my point about the adverse impacts relate to small waders, species including and smaller than Greenshank.
Chris wrote:
Carl, probably worth pointing out the Bar-tailed Godwits that were flagged and
had transmitters a few years back made the migration from Alaska to New Zealand
in one hop. Doesn't sound like a bird struggling to migrate to me. The data was
available publicly online as it came in, so no chance of tampering. Godwit E7
was seen for several years in a row at many different sites in New Zealand
proving they do move round and are not necessarily site specific. A small
example but at least it is hard data.
Personally I will wait til I see solid evidence that flagging is detrimental to
birds before getting up in arms about it. I also am yet to see a flagged bird
struggling despite having seen many hundreds carrying leg flags.
Regards,
Chris
Sent from my iPhone
On 30/03/2011, at 10:00, Carl Clifford <> wrote:
Ian,
Should satellite tracking be banned as well?. Surely the capturing and
application of a tracking device is equally traumatic to the birds, as is the
capture and banding of them.
Carl Clifford
On 30/03/2011, at 10:33 AM, Ian May wrote:
Hello again
Adverse impacts on affected waders from the scourge of leg flagging should not
be underestimated. Very few leg flagged birds ever make it past their next
migration. The surviving re-trapped birds are few and usually referred to by
banders as examples to demonstrate success, rarely questioning the
disappearance of the vast majority that have probably perished as a direct
impact of their leg flags.
When Banders are asked why we rarely see flagged waders returning after migration, excuses such as
“the birds are non site faithful” or, “the birds return to remote areas where
monitoring is difficult” is a common but pathetic response. It needs to be recognised that wader
leg flagging has been a major threatening process, contributing significantly to declines of Curlew
Sandpiper, Red Knot and Sanderling populations in Australia. It is a devastating process to inflict on any
small wader.
The 2020 Wader Conservation Project
Wader conservation projects based on field observation, counts, behaviour
study, photography and habitat protection etc. should be strongly supported.
These projects provide the information that is now required for effective wader
and habitat conservation. But projects based on destructive processes such as
leg flagging, canon netting etc should be scrapped; otherwise the 2020
shorebird program is just another public funded rort for banders and will do
more harm than good for the conservation of these vulnerable birds.
Notification of Banding Operations
The benefits of announcing planned banding operations in a local region would
alert other interested observers to consult and comment about projects, watch
out for flagged birds and independently to assess impacts. The announcements
could be via birding-aus or Eremea National
Leg Flaggers are actively targeting rare and threatened species. However leg flagging waders
is now little more than an intrinsic hobby beyond its “use by” date.
Regards
Ian May
St Helens, Tasmania
Ian May wrote:
g'Day all
An uncomfortable subject
It saddens me to report that in Tasmania this morning, I observed a number of “small
waders” recently leg flagged. The birds were struggling about in
moderate winds, hobbled by what appeared to be fresh looking manacles. These
birds were in areas where in previous years, apart from an occasional
flagged stint it has been unusual to see flagged waders. The birds seen today
appeared to be struggling in only moderate conditions and if this is an
example of 2020 Shorebird conservation, current programs needs to questioned,
reviewed and modified urgently.
Can anyone inform us of the details, if they know of any recent wader leg
flagging in Tasmania? Although I would like to see it banned, in the mean
time it should be a requirement of leg flaggers to notify the community in
advance of planned banding operations. Specifically the public should be
notified when and where, the targeted species and by whom a leg flagging
operation is planned. Something similar to the requirement to notify the
public when a forest burning operation is planned.
Also, can any one inform us how the decision is made by banders to apply
multiple flags on a particular bird.
Regards
Ian May
St Helens, Tasmania
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