Dead bird with coloured rings

TopTec

Last week I recorded the arrival of 2 Siskins to my feeders. A male and a female. Yesterday morning I found the male siskin near the sun room, unfortunately it was deceased. Probably due to a window strike.



You will notice the coloured rings and I am a little curious to know why a wild bird like this is ringed. I emailed the BTO, provided details of the find and they very efficiently mailed back......

"Colour marking is a useful research tool for biologists studying behaviour and local movements. All colour marking projects are registered with the Trust and, on the whole, we are usually able to trace the majority of reports and inform finders about the history of the bird.

However, this is not one of our rings; all wild birds carry in addition to the colour ring a split metal ring with a postal address as well as a serial number. I think this colour ring is from a captive-bred aviary bird. Unfortunately, there is no central register of these rings, so this bird is probably untraceable,"

I am somewhat surprised to learn that people have these lovely little birds in captivity. I have also mailed the British Bird Council, who sell these type of rings, but haven't received a response.

I would be interested to hear of Boardies comments or if anyone is able to throw any light on the rings.

TT

Half-cocked

Had a Redpoll a few years back with the same sort of rings, an escaped captive bird. Some of these birds are bred in captivity but unfortunately there is also illegal trapping of songbirds still going on.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Siskin, goldfinch and others are captive bred and have been for generations. There's nothing wrong with this. They are kept as songbirds and often crossed with canaries.

TopTec

Bo Prickly Stovepipe wrote: »

Siskin, goldfinch and others are captive bred and have been for generations. There's nothing wrong with this. They are kept as songbirds and often crossed with canaries.

I won't enter into long and drawn out arguments about this comment with you but I am afraid I have to disagree. I have always been of the belief that wild birds should never be caged.

TT

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

TopTec wrote: »

I won't enter into long and drawn out arguments about this comment with you but I am afraid I have to disagree. I have always been of the belief that wild birds should never be caged.

TT

These captive bred birds are not wild birds. No more so than a canary is a wild bird or a racing pigeon is a wild bred. They have been selectively bred through many generations as cage birds. You may as well say a fish in an aquarium is a wild fish.
I am passionate about wild birds but I know where to draw the line.

wexandproud

the one in the photo looks like a cross between a canary and a goldfinch , known as a mule down here in the south east . Guys use captive reared finches to cross with canaries . the rings are put on chicks in the nest to aid in id later, this poor thing probable escaped and could not handle the cold.


just had another look ,might be siskin but beak looks a bit big , also escapee

LostCovey

Bo Prickly Stovepipe wrote: »

These captive bred birds are not wild birds. No more so than a canary is a wild bird or a racing pigeon is a wild bred. They have been selectively bred through many generations as cage birds. You may as well say a fish in an aquarium is a wild fish.
I am passionate about wild birds but I know where to draw the line.

It's a pretty grim life for them all the same, given their nature. I don't accept its OK to keep wild birds in captivity and don't think they should be kept in cages. I realise not all share the view. I am not too fussed on zoos or dolphin displays either for much the same reason.

wexandproud

LostCovey wrote: »

It's a pretty grim life for them all the same, given their nature. I don't accept its OK to keep wild birds in captivity and don't think they should be kept in cages. I realise not all share the view. I am not too fussed on zoos or dolphin displays either for much the same reason.

but the ones reared in captivity are no more wild than any other animal born and reared in domesticated circumstances. Even our pet dogs , cats and as another poster said canary's and pigeons are descended from wild species as are all farm animals and they could very rarely survive in the wild

Mickeroo

wexandproud wrote: »

but the ones reared in captivity are no more wild than any other animal born and reared in domesticated circumstances. Even our pet dogs , cats and as another poster said canary's and pigeons are descended from wild species as are all farm animals and they could very rarely survive in the wild

It takes generations of selective breeding to truly domesticate an animal which doesn't happen with the likes of dolphins, wales etc

I genuinely didn't know goldfinches and siskins weren't a naturally evolved breed of bird. Learn something new every day.

Joeseph Balls

LostCovey wrote: »

I am not too fussed on zoos

In fairness to zoos (decent, not backyard ones) and breeding programmes, there would be a lot more wild animals extinct if it wasnt for them. Breeding clean lines for reintroduction of species decimated by men.

dolphin displays

I agree.

wexandproud

I genuinely didn't know goldfinches and siskins weren't a naturally evolved breed of bird. Learn something new every day. [/QUOTE]

out of interest if not naturally evolved where did you think they came from.?

Mickeroo

wexandproud wrote: »

out of interest if not naturally evolved where did you think they came from.?

I thought they were human made by selective breeding much like farm animals and domesticated dogs? Or did I misunderstand what people were saying?

OpenYourEyes

Mickeroo wrote: »

I thought they were human made by selective breeding much like farm animals and domesticated dogs? Or did I misunderstand what people were saying?

I think the implication was that captive songbirds are the same as other captive animals, in so far as they came from wild ancestors but have since been domesticated.

I.e. captive goldfinches probably came from decades-long chain of goldfinches in captivity, so while they might look the same as wild goldfinches, behaviourally they're different.

TopTec

wexandproud wrote: »

the one in the photo looks like a cross between a canary and a goldfinch , known as a mule down here in the south east . Guys use captive reared finches to cross with canaries . the rings are put on chicks in the nest to aid in id later, this poor thing probable escaped and could not handle the cold.

just had another look ,might be siskin but beak looks a bit big , also escapee

Definitely a siskin, and not a hybrid. Cause of death was a heavy impact with my sunroom window. I've been watching this male and female for a week before his demise. Two more males appeared this morning... identical to the dead fella. No more rings though.

Ive been put on to the Independent Bird Register in the UK. Hoping for more information from them.

TT

wexandproud

TopTec wrote: »

Definitely a siskin, and not a hybrid. Cause of death was a heavy impact with my sunroom window. I've been watching this male and female for a week before his demise. Two more males appeared this morning... identical to the dead fella. No more rings though.

Ive been put on to the Independent Bird Register in the UK. Hoping for more information from them.

TT

ya the more i look the more i can see it. I used to keep birds years ago and the rings would imply that he could be captive bread . when siskins or finches are crossed with canaries the produce lovely birds some almost the same as one of the parents more could be beautifully coloured birds with mixed colours of both parents coming through. Can you post if you hear back from uk.
They could also course been ringed abroad as part of a migratory study . the fact that the green ring is split , it could have been ringed as an adult but most rings would be closed and have to be put on while bird is only a few days old .If the yellow one is not split it would have been ringed in nest indicating captive bread