Ringing helps us to understand what is happening to birds in the places they live and how this affects population changes. This is vital knowledge for conservation. It also gives information on the movements of birds and how long they live for.
Over 900,000 birds are ringed in Britain and Ireland each year by over 2600 trained ringers.
Ringing involves placing a lightweight, uniquely numbered, ring around a bird’s leg. This provides a reliable and harmless method for identifying birds as individuals.
The Ringing Scheme is organised by the British Trust for Ornithology and much more information can be found on the BTO website.