Press Releases - January/February 2007
Item 1

No. 2007/01/03
January 2007

What came down your chimney this Christmas?

For Mr Field in Aberystwyth, the answer was a Starling, and a very interesting Starling at that! On closer inspection the bird was found to be carrying a metal ring on its leg bearing the inscription ‘Lithuania’.

On December 21 2006, Mr Field was surprised to find a Starling in the fireplace of his living room. The bird was injured and easily captured, and was seen to be wearing a metal ring bearing the inscription, ‘Lithuania KV42864’. On contacting the British Trust for Ornithology with this information, he was told that the bird was ringed at Ventes Ragas, Lithuania, on July 4 2006 as a young bird, and had travelled 1686 km before finding its way down Mr Field’s chimney.

The Starling is a common garden bird, and it is easy to assume that the birds feeding in our gardens are of local origin but, as this incident shows, they could have come from much further afield.

If you find a ringed bird you can report the details at www.ring.ac or by telephone on 01842 750050

Notes for Editors

1. Starling numbers are boosted during the winter months by immigrants from the continent escaping the cold weather, and can form huge roosts in some locations.
2. Bird ringing in Britain and Ireland is organised and co-ordinated by the BTO. The BTO also host the EURING databank which holds ring recovery data gathered by bird ringing schemes throughout Europe, for further information please see, www.bto.org/ringing/index.htm. 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.
3. Images of Starlings are freely available for use in association with this press release. Please contact to request an electronic version, or a map of Starling movements. Please quote reference number 2007/01/03
4. Bird Information. For lots of facts and figures about Starlings go to www.bto.org/birdfacts
5. The BTO has an ISDN line available for radio interviews.

For further information please contact:

Mark Grantham on 01842 750050 or e-mail: (during office hours)

Paul Stancliffe on 01842 750050 or e-mail: (during office hours)