Long-lived birds ringing in records

ELEVEN bird species have surpassed previous UK longevity records in an annual ringing and nesting report.

The long-lived birds include a guillemot, which, at the age of 36 years, 11 months and 28 days, has became the oldest of its breed.

Published by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), the report also saw a record number of data submissions from volunteers, with just under a million birds ringed and almost 50,000 nests recorded.

The BTO began ringing birds in 1909 to annually monitor movement, survival and breeding success of birds. The number of birds ringed by the scheme now stands at 49,575,212.

Blue tits were the most ringed species last year, with 116,254 ringed despite a poor breeding season. Longterm figures show a marked decline in willow warbler numbers but chiffchaffs and blackcaps are thriving.