Mist Netting shown to be 'safe'.

I imagine some people may have already read this article on mist netting as it has appeared in this month’s ‘Birdwatch’ magazine.

http://www.birdwatch.co.uk/channel/newsitem.asp?c=11&cate=__10933

It concludes that roughly 1 in every 200 birds caught using this method are injured and 1 in every 400 are actually killed.

I must admit to being staggered by these findings – I thought any ringing activity was supposed to be passive?

For example, I found this on the RSPB Liverpool branche's website:

“...and no, Birds are not affected by the birdringing process, as ringing is carried out by skilled ringers who have the utmost consideration for the birds welfare in mind.”

This is quite clearly a load of old cobblers.

If mist netting is causing fatalities in the UK, then these statistics should be made available.

Do Bird Observatories record this sort of information?

I have long-held doubts about the benefits of ringing birds, and this is certainly another tick in the ‘why bother’ category.

Maybe it is time for somebody to have the courage to conduct some research into the efficacy of the activity in general.

I think the results would lead to some uncomfortable reading...

Until later.