The scientific strategy of the BTO ringing scheme

Abstract

1. This strategy aims to increase the contribution which ringing makes to conservation science and ornithological research, recognising that the primary outputs of the scheme are scientific publications based on data gathered by volunteer ringers. The strategy envisages a greater involvement of ringers in planned projects that are designed to provide specific types of information. Clear advice on priority species and categories of birds (eg age classes, seasons of ringing, breeding vs roosting) to be ringed and recaptured will be given to those ringing outside centrally organised projects. 2. The research programme will focus on two main topics, population dynamics and migration and movements. In addition research on life‐histories, moult and condition should be conducted when opportunities allow. 3. The Ringing Scheme makes a vital contribution to studies of population dynamics by providing data on survival rates and productivity, and sometimes also on numbers. Popidation dynamics models based on such da...