‘Tragic error’ sees osprey die while being ringed by charity

Chick fell to the ground while procedure said to be vital was carried out

An osprey chick has been killed after falling from its nest while two members of a bird protection charity were trying to ring it.

The “heart-breaking accident” happened near Huntly, Aberdeenshire, where the chick was being ringed as part of a scheme that has been in operation for more than 50 years in Scotland.

Ringing birds is described as “an important technique” used all over the world for collecting information, including about a species’ movements, ecology, habitat requirements and migratory behaviour.

A spokeswoman for RSPB Scotland said: “A tragic error at the top of the tree led to a chick falling to the ground from the nest, resulting in the death of the bird.

“In more than 50 years of ringing osprey chicks in Scotland, this is only the second incident we are aware of where an osprey chick has died as part of the ringing procedure.”

The charity said it was “extremely sad” to report the “unfortunate” accident.

Scores of ospreys have been marked in this way since the fish-eating raptors returned to Scotland as a breeding bird in the 1950s.

Conservationists say the activity has made a “huge contribution” to understanding their conservation requirements both here and on their wintering grounds in West Africa.

Ringing teams also regularly help birds by strengthening vulnerable nests, which may otherwise be blown out by high winds, removing fishing wire from chicks, and taking other dangerous plastic out of nests. The RSPB says all of these threats, neutralised by ringing teams, have previously resulted in osprey chicks dying.

The British Trust for Ornithology will now study a report into the incident.

Picture: Getty. An osprey chick died during ringing.