2017 CES Stats

The Constant Effort Sites (CES) ringing scheme is one of two standardised national ringing projects run by the BTO. Participants monitor 24 common migrant and resident songbird species in woodland, scrub and reedbed habitats, catching birds in mist nets placed in the same locations, for the same length of time during 12 visits made between May and August each year. The consistent approach means that changes in numbers caught over time can be attributed to population change rather than variation in effort. Ratios of adults to juveniles caught allow breeding success to be assessed while, as with all ringing, recaptures in subsequent years provide information on adult survival.

CES results received by October are analysed alongside results from the Nest Record Scheme (NRS) in November each year and a preliminary report on the breeding season is produced. Once all the results are received, the final results are produced and reported on, alongside the full NRS and Retrapping Adults for Survival (RAS) results, in the spring edition of LifeCycle. CES results are also published in the annual BirdTrends report.

Long-term results

Number of datasets received per year
Number of birds ringed through CES per year

2017 results

The following tables and charts show CES results for 2017 and are provided both at a national level and broken down by country and habitat. The data in the tables is also .
 

Number of sites

England

Scotland

Wales

Republic of Ireland

Northern Ireland

Overall

Total

110

11

9

3

2

135

Dry scrub

45

3

2

-

-

50

Wet scrub

28

5

2

1

1

37

Reedbed

24

2

4

2

-

32

Woodland

13

1

1

-

1

16

 

Number of individual birds caught

England

Scotland

Wales

Republic of Ireland

Northern Ireland

Overall

Total

42,364 (85%)

2,553 (5%)

3,494 (7%)

790 (2%)

611 (1%)

49,812

Adults

15,289 (36%)

1,218 (48%)

1,219 (35%)

305 (39%)

405 (66%)

18,237 (37%)

Juveniles

27,075 (64%)

1,335 (52%)

2,275 (65%)

485 (61%)

206 (34%)

31,575 (63%)

 

Number of individual birds caught by habitat

England

Scotland

Wales

Republic of Ireland

Northern Ireland

Overall

Dry scrub

17,373 (41%)

880 (34%)

804 (23%)

-

-

19,057 (38%)

Adult

Juvenile

6,294 (36%)

11,079 (64%)

347 (39%)

533 (61%)

224 (28%)

580 (72%)

-

-

6,865 (36%)

12,192 (64%)

Wet scrub

11,371 (27%)

809 (32%)

475 (14%)

294 (37%)

242 (40%)

13,191 (26%)

Adult

Juvenile

4,128 (36%)

7,243 (64%)

408 (50%)

401 (50%)

191 (40%)

284 (60%)

101 (34%)

193 (66%)

94 (39%)

148 (61%)

4,922 (37%)

8,269 (63%)

Reedbed

9,879 (23%)

636 (25%)

1,946 (56%)

496 (63%)

-

12,957 (26%)

Adult

Juvenile

3,461 (35%)

6,418 (65%)

303 (48%)

333 (52%)

693 (36%)

1,253 (64%)

204 (41%)

292 (59%)

-

4,661 (36%)

8,296 (64%)

Woodland

3,741 (9%)

228 (9%)

194 (6%)

-

369 (60%)

4,607 (9%)

Adult

Juvenile

1,406 (38%)

2,335 (62%)

160 (70%)

68 (30%)

120 (62%)

74 (38%)

-

112 (30%)

257 (70%)

1,789 (39%)

2,818 (61%)

 

Average number of individual birds caught per site (range given in brackets)

England

Scotland

Wales

Republic of Ireland

Northern Ireland

Overall

National

388 

(95–983)

232 

(93–391)

388 

(226–691)

263 

(248–294)

306 

(242–369)

370 

(93–983)

Adult

Juvenile

140

(34–292)

250

(33–774)

111

(54–191)

133

(57–214)

135

(76–259)

253

(153–466)

102

(94–110)

162

(126–193)

103

(94–112)

203

(148–257)

136

(34–292)

239

(33–774)

Dry scrub

394 

(95–952)

293 

(247–361)

402 

(374–430)

-

-

388 

(95–952)

Adult

Juvenile

143

(34–292)

256

(100–680)

116

(97–147)

178

(150–214)

112

(111–113)

290

(263–317)

-

-

-

-

140

(34–292)

253

(100–680)

Wet scrub

406 

(114–901)

161 

(93–213)

238 

(226–249)

294

242

356 

(93–901)

Adult

Juvenile

147

(52–291)

259

(33–649)

82

(54–109)

99

(57–134)

96

(86–105)

142

(140–144)

101

193

94

148

133

(52–291)

223

(33–649)

Reedbed

412 

(191–983)

318 

(245–391)

487 

(229–691)

248

-

405 

(191–983)

Adult

Juvenile

144

(54–228)

267

(109–774)

152

(112–191)

167

(133–200)

173

(76–259)

313

(153–466)

102

(94–110)

146

(126–166)

-

-

146

(54–259)

259

(109–774)

Woodland

288 

(148–556)

228

269

-

369

288 

(148–556)

Adult

Juvenile

108

(40–208)

180

(80–348)

160

68

111

158

-

-

112

257

112

(40–208)

176

(68–348)

 

Number of species caught

England

Scotland

Wales

Republic of Ireland

Northern Ireland

Overall

Total

89

41

48

38

25

92

Dry scrub

72

30

33

-

-

73

Wet scrub

59

33

28

23

21

66

Reedbed

59

26

36

32

-

63

Woodland

57

20

24

-

17

58

 

Average number of species caught per site (range given in brackets)

England

Scotland

Wales

Republic of Ireland

Northern Ireland

Overall

National

24

(14–38)

18

(12–24)

24

(16–29)

23

(18–29)

19

24

(12–35)

Dry scrub

25 (19–38)

21 (21–21)

26 (23–28)

-

-

25 (19 – 38)

Wet scrub

23 (14–30)

19 (12–24)

18 (16–19)

23

21

22 (12 – 30)

Reedbed

22 (14–30)

21 (20–22)

26 (21–29)

24 (18–29)

-

22 (14 – 30)

Woodland

23 (17–32)

20

24

-

17

22 (17 – 32)

 

Average net length per site metres / feet (range given in brackets in metres, then feet)

England

Scotland

Wales

Republic of Ireland

Northern Ireland

Overall

National

139 / 455

111 / 365

129 / 424

139 / 457

113 / 370

134 / 441

Dry scrub

141 / 462

(67–279)

(220–914)

107 / 350

(101–116)

(330–380)

153 / 503

(112–195)

(366–640)

-

-

139 / 457

(67–279)

(220–914)

Wet scrub

142 / 465

(58–262)

(190–860)

94 / 308

(61–146)

(200–480)

89 / 293

(60–119)

(197–390)

186 / 610

-

-

116 / 380

-

-

133 / 436

(58–262)

(190–860)

Reedbed

132 / 434

(70–201)

(230–660)

166 / 545

(122–210)

(400–690)

148 / 485

(73–232)

(240–760)

116 / 380

(110–122)

(360–400)

-

135 / 444

(70–232)

(230–760)

Woodland

137 / 449

(64–210)

(210–690)

104 / 340

-

-

85 / 280

-

-

-

110 / 360

-

-

130 / 426

(64–210)

(210–690)

 

Average number of individual birds caught per metre / foot of net (top figure in metres, second figure in feet)

England

Scotland

Wales

Republic of Ireland

Northern Ireland

Overall

Nationally

2.9

0.9

2.1

0.6

3.0

0.9

1.9

0.6

2.7

0.8

2.3

0.7

Dry scrub

2.8

0.9

2.7

0.8

2.6

0.8

-

-

2.8

0.9

Wet scrub

2.9

0.9

1.7

0.5

2.7

0.8

1.6

0.5

2.1

0.6

2.7

0.8

Reedbed

3.1

0.9

1.9

0.6

3.3

1.0

2.1

0.7

-

3.0

0.9

Woodland

2.1

0.6

2.2

0.7

3.2

1.0

-

3.4

1.0

2.2

0.7

 

Most caught species (all habitats)

Overall

England

Scotland

Reed Warbler (5,519)

Blackcap (5,298)

Chiffchaff (5,167)

Blue Tit (3,704)

Wren (3,076)

Sedge Warbler (2,957)

Willow Warbler (2,721)

Robin (2,712)

Great Tit (2,256)

Dunnock (2,090)

Whitethroat (2,079)

Blackbird (1,897)

Long-tailed Tit (1,750)

Bullfinch(1,602)

Reed Bunting (807)

Reed Warbler (5,138)

Blackcap (4,769)

Chiffchaff (4,567)

Blue Tit (3,141)

Wren (2,432)

Robin (2,239)

Willow Warbler (2,044)

Sedge Warbler (2,035)

Great Tit (1,960)

Whitethroat (1,953)

Dunnock (1,787)

Blackbird (1,523)

Long-tailed Tit (1,499)

Bullfinch (1,432)

Garden Warbler (698)

Willow Warbler (396)

Robin (210)

Wren (207)

Chiffchaff (200)

Sedge Warbler (198)

Blue Tit (186)

Great Tit (140)

Blackcap (108)

Blackbird (107)

Dunnock (106)

Long-tailed Tit (95)

Chaffinch (76)

Whitethroat (62)

Bullfinch (60)

Reed Warbler (55)

Wales

Republic of Ireland

Northern Ireland

Chiffchaff (389)

Blackcap (358)

Sedge Warbler (308)

Reed Warbler (295)

Blue Tit (292)

Wren (280)

Blackbird (204)

Robin (182)

Willow Warbler (165)

Dunnock (140)

Long-tailed Tit (131)

Great Tit (125)

Bullfinch (86)

Reed Bunting (83)

Whitethroat (51)

Sedge Warbler (265)

Wren (97)

Willow Warbler (68)

Robin (39)

Blue Tit (38)

Reed Bunting (37)

Blackbird (34)

Dunnock (25)

Stonechat (25)

Bullfinch (16)

Grasshopper Warbler (14)

House Sparrow (13)

Lesser Redpoll (13)

Whitethroat (13)

Blackcap (12)

Sedge Warbler (151)

Wren (60)

Blackcap (51)

Willow Warbler (48)

Blue Tit (47)

Robin (42)

Dunnock (32)

Reed Warbler (30)

Blackbird (29)

Great Tit (24)

Long-tailed Tit (19)

Chaffinch (12)

Goldcrest (12)

Reed Bunting (11)

Song Thrush (11)

 

Most caught species by habitat – dry scrub

Overall

England

Scotland

Blackcap (2,321)

Chiffchaff (2,280)

Blue Tit (1,404)

Whitethroat (1,304)

Robin (1,163)

Willow Warbler (1,129)

Wren (1,050)

Great Tit (1,044)

Dunnock (1,014)

Blackbird (870)

Bullfinch (856)

Long-tailed Tit (662)

Reed Warbler (526)

Sedge Warbler (405)

Garden Warbler (335)

Blackcap (2,157)

Chiffchaff (1,977)

Blue Tit (1,281)

Whitethroat (1,255)

Willow Warbler (1,029)

Robin (996)

Great Tit (942)

Dunnock (924)

Wren (913)

Bullfinch (792)

Blackbird (765)

Long-tailed Tit (617)

Reed Warbler (515)

Sedge Warbler (403)

Garden Warbler (317)

Chiffchaff (124)

Robin (104)

Willow Warbler (84)

Wren (84)

Blue Tit (68)

Blackcap (67)

Great Tit (56)

Dunnock (53)

Blackbird (40)

Whitethroat (38)

Bullfinch (34)

Long-tailed Tit (22)

Coal Tit (20)

Goldcrest (20)

Chaffinch (15)

Wales

Republic of Ireland

Northern Ireland

Chiffchaff (179)

Blackcap (97)

Blackbird (65)

Robin (63)

Blue Tit (55)

Wren (53)

Great Tit (46)

Dunnock (37)

Bullfinch (30)

Goldfinch (27)

Long-tailed Tit (23)

Song Thrush (21)

Garden Warbler (17)

Willow Warbler (16)

Redstart (11)

-

-

 

Most caught species by habitat – wet scrub

Overall

England

Scotland

Reed Warbler (1,553)

Blackcap (1,511)

Chiffchaff (1,431)

Wren (935)

Sedge Warbler (901)

Blue Tit (820)

Robin (673)

Willow Warbler (666)

Dunnock (543)

Great Tit (537)

Long-tailed Tit (508)

Bullfinch (452)

Blackbird (448)

Whitethroat (415)

Garden Warbler (253)

Reed Warbler (1,550)

Blackcap (1,431)

Chiffchaff (1,323)

Wren (740)

Blue Tit (716)

Sedge Warbler (640)

Robin (569)

Great Tit (479)

Long-tailed Tit (450)

Dunnock (431)

Willow Warbler (429)

Bullfinch (406)

Blackbird (373)

Whitethroat (361)

Garden Warbler (249)

Willow Warbler (180)

Wren (70)

Blue Tit (66)

Chiffchaff (60)

Sedge Warbler (49)

Robin (41)

Great Tit (32)

Blackbird (30)

Dunnock (28)

Song Thrush (27)

Lesser Redpoll (23)

Chaffinch (22)

Long-tailed Tit (21)

Blackcap (20)

Bullfinch (20)

Wales

Republic of Ireland

Northern Ireland

Sedge Warbler (82)

Wren (62)

Dunnock (52)

Chiffchaff (48)

Blackcap (22)

Robin (22)

Willow Warbler (22)

Whitethroat (21)

Long-tailed Tit (20)

Blackbird (18)

Bullfinch (18)

Swallow (14)

Great Tit (12)

Blue Tit (10)

Song Thrush (10)

Sedge Warbler (123)

Wren (32)

Stonechat (22)

Robin (16)

Willow Warbler (14)

Whitethroat (13)

Blue Tit (12)

Blackbird (11)

Dunnock (8)

Reed Bunting (7)

Great Tit (5)

Linnet (5)

Swallow (5)

Grasshopper Warbler (4)

Lesser Redpoll (4)

Blackcap (37)

Wren (31)

Robin (25)

Dunnock (24)

Willow Warbler (21)

Long-tailed Tit (17)

Blackbird (16)

Blue Tit (16)

Great Tit (9)

Song Thrush (9)

Bullfinch (8)

Sedge Warbler (7)

Goldfinch (5)

Starling (5)

Chaffinch (3)

 

Most caught species by habitat – Reedbed

 

Overall

England

Scotland

Reed Warbler (3,281)

Sedge Warbler (1,458)

Blue Tit (1,061)

Blackcap (938)

Chiffchaff (924)

Wren (721)

Willow Warbler (708)

Robin (477)

Reed Bunting (434)

Great Tit (424)

Long-tailed Tit (409)

Whitethroat (312)

Blackbird (310)

Dunnock (296)

Bullfinch (171)

Reed Warbler (2,944)

Sedge Warbler (943)

Blue Tit (824)

Chiffchaff (762)

Blackcap (717)

Wren (472)

Willow Warbler (402)

Robin (352)

Great Tit (326)

Reed Bunting (301)

Whitethroat (289)

Long-tailed Tit (277)

Dunnock (230)

Blackbird (176)

Cetti’s Warbler (142)

Sedge Warbler (148)

Willow Warbler (128)

Reed Warbler (54)

Long-tailed Tit (50)

Wren (42)

Robin (33)

Great Tit (32)

Reed Bunting (26)

Blue Tit (23)

Chiffchaff (16)

Blackcap (15)

Chaffinch (11)

Blackbird (8)

Dunnock (8)

Coal Tit (7)

Wales

Republic of Ireland

Northern Ireland

Reed Warbler (283)

Sedge Warbler (225)

Blackcap (195)

Blue Tit (188)

Wren (142)

Chiffchaff (141)

Willow Warbler (124)

Blackbird (103)

Reed Bunting (77)

Long-tailed Tit (76)

Robin (69)

Great Tit (64)

Dunnock (41)

Bullfinch (32)

Cetti’s Warbler (27)

Sedge Warbler (142)

Wren (65)

Willow Warbler (54)

Reed Bunting (30)

Blue Tit (26)

Blackbird (23)

Robin (23)

Dunnock (17)

Bullfinch (16)

House Sparrow (13)

Blackcap (11)

Grasshopper Warbler (10)

Goldcrest (9)

Lesser Redpoll (9)

Song Thrush (7)

-

 

Most caught species by habitat – Woodland

Overall

England

Scotland

Chiffchaff (532)

Blackcap (528)

Blue Tit (419)

Robin (399)

Wren (370)

Blackbird (269)

Great Tit (251)

Dunnock (237)

Willow Warbler (218)

Sedge Warbler (193)

Long-tailed Tit (171)

Reed Warbler (159)

Bullfinch (123)

Song Thrush (84)

Chaffinch (81)

Chiffchaff (505)

Blackcap (464)

Robin (322)

Blue Tit (320)

Wren (307)

Great Tit (213)

Blackbird (209)

Dunnock (202)

Willow Warbler (184)

Long-tailed Tit (155)

Reed Warbler (129)

Bullfinch (117)

Song Thrush (69)

Coal Tit (53)

Sedge Warbler (49)

Robin (32)

Blackbird (29)

Blue Tit (29)

Chaffinch (28)

Great Tit (20)

Dunnock (17)

Tree Sparrow (15)

Wren (11)

Greenfinch (8)

Blackcap (6)

Coal Tit (6)

Song Thrush (5)

House Sparrow (4)

Willow Warbler (4)

Goldcrest (3)

Wales

Republic of Ireland

Northern Ireland

Blackcap (44)

Blue Tit (39)

Robin (28)

Wren (23)

Chiffchaff (21)

Blackbird (18)

Goldcrest (18)

Long-tailed Tit (12)

Dunnock (10)

Marsh Tit (9)

Song Thrush (8)

Treecreeper (8)

Bullfinch (6)

Coal Tit (6)

Nuthatch (4)

-

Sedge Warbler (144)

Blue Tit (31)

Reed Warbler (30)

Wren (29)

Willow Warbler (27)

Robin (17)

Great Tit (15)

Blackcap (14)

Blackbird (13)

Reed Bunting (11)

Chaffinch (9)

Goldcrest (9)

Dunnock (8)

Chiffchaff (6)

Long-tailed Tit (2)



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