Press Releases - July/Aug 2006 - Item 4

No. 2006/07/31
July 2006

To Russia with love – a Suffolk duck’s epic journey!

The British Trust for Ornithology has just heard of a rather incredible movement. A Pochard duckling ringed at Trimley Marshes Nature Reserve was then shot over 4,000 km away in Russia!

Movement of the Trimley Marsh Pochard

The Pochard is quite a rare breeding bird in Suffolk, with fewer than ten pairs nesting each year. This bird was ringed as a duckling at Trimley Marshes on July 10 1997 by ringers from Landguard Bird Observatory in Felixstowe. It was rather surprising then that it should turn up in Russia, where it was shot on May 4 2002 at Chelyabinsk, to be reported back to the BTO only recently. As a Suffolk-bred bird we can only wonder what drew it away from the area, though perhaps a Russian drake had more to offer. Though the BTO has collected over 400 records of ringed Pochard found in Russia, this is the first one ringed in Suffolk to have made this movement! Nigel Odin from the Observatory said “Not only has this bird crossed the Urals but it was identified as a female by the hunter who shot it. We can only assume she was seduced by a drake Pochard visiting Suffolk for the winter from the Russian Steppes who then took her back to his homeland. The recovery of this bird provides an insight into the movements of this species and shows the value of bird ringing in improving our knowledge of Suffolk’s birds”.

Notes for Editors:

1. BTO volunteers ring over 800,000 birds every year. Part of the BTO Ringing Scheme is funded by a partnership of the BTO and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (on behalf of English Nature, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Countryside Council for Wales, and also on behalf of the Environment and Heritage Service in Northern Ireland). The scheme also receives support from Duchas the Heritage Service – National Parks and Wildlife (Ireland). The volunteer ringers give freely of their time and expertise and also provide a substantial part of the Scheme’s funding.

2. Ringing, as a practical science, can only be learnt working in the ‘field’ with a qualified Trainer, of which there are over 300 in the country. The BTO runs the Ringing Scheme and issues ringing permits under license from the Government agencies. After undergoing a period of training, usually of two years or more, a successful trainee is awarded a C permit, allowing him or her to ring alone, but still on behalf of a trainer. See: www.bto.org/ringing/ringinfo/become-a-ringer.htm

3. Reports of ringed or colour-ringed birds can be reported via the web at www.ring.ac

For further information please contact:

Nigel Odin on 07779 540231or e-mail:

If you would like a map image to illustrate the movement contact Mark Grantham
at the BTO Ringing Unit on

For photographs relating to this story please contact

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