C. J. Mead

Report on bird‐ringing for 1987

This is the 50th report issued on behalf of the Ringing Committee of the British Trust for Ornithology. The report summarises the numbers of the birds ringed during 1986 and the recoveries reported during that year — including full details for selected records. Totals of recoveries of British and Irish‐ringed birds in each country outside Britain and Ireland and of the number of birds ringed in each country elsewhere and subsequently recovered in Britain and Ireland are given for each species. These totals are given for the five year period 1982–1986 and grand totals of records up to the end of 1986, and form part of a series of such summaries produced every five years. The report draws attention to particularly interesting records and to some of the factors which have influenced the BTO Ringing Scheme and its results during 1986.

Report on bird‐ringing for 1984

This is the 48th report issued on behalf of the Ringing & Migration Committee of the British Trust for Ornithology. The numbers ringed and refound of each species in 1984 are reported and an introduction draws attention to particular natural occurrences or human activities which have markedly influenced these totals. Organisational arrangements are reported and details of selected recoveries presented.

Poor prospects for oiled birds

A common consequence of large-scale oil spillage in coastal waters is the fouling of marine birds; a common response is to clean those birds that survive the initial incident, and release them back into the wild. Two papers, analysing British and Dutch data on the rehabitation of oiled guillemots, show, however, that such cleaning endeavours are largely doomed to failure — they respectively report that only about 1% and 20% of the birds survived their first year after release.

Report on bird‐ringing for 1985

This is the 49th report issued on behalf of the Ringing & Migration Committee of the British Trust for Ornithology. The numbers ringed and refound of each species in 1985 are reported and an introduction draws attention to particular natural occurrences or human activities which have markedly influenced these totals. Organisational arrangements are reported and details of selected recoveries presented.

Report on bird‐ringing for 1983

This is the 47th report issued on behalf of the Ringing & Migration Committee of the British Trust for Ornithology. The numbers ringed and refound of each species in 1983 are reported and an introduction draws attention to particular natural occurrences or human activities which may have markedly influenced these totals. Organisational arrangements are reported and details of selected recoveries presented.

Report on bird ringing for Britain and Ireland for 1989

This is the 53rd annual report of the British Trust for Ornithologys Ringing Scheme. During 1989 the high levels of ringing reported for 1988 were almost reached with more birds ringed than in any year other than 1988. The total number of recoveries reported maintained recent levels. Some of the factors influencing these totals, which are tabulated in detail, are discussed. Details of some 245 recoveries resulting from ringing in Britain and Ireland and 74 ringed abroad and found here, selected for their interesting movements or long elapsed time, are also included.

Conservation biology: Ducks and darkes

In parts of Europe, the white-headed duck is threatened as a species because females seem to prefer to mate with drakes of another, introduced species. Why? It turns out that males of a third species have an especially large penis: a speculative answer is that female white-headed ducks might favour similarly well-endowed males.

Conservation biology: Poor prospects for oiled birds

A common consequence of large-scale oil spillage in coastal waters is the fouling of marine birds; a common response is to clean those birds that survive the initial incident, and release them back into the wild. Two papers, analysing British and Dutch data on the rehabitation of oiled guillemots, show, however, that such cleaning endeavours are largely doomed to failure — they respectively report that only about 1% and 20% of the birds survived their first year after release.

Poor prospects for oiled birds: Conservation biology

A common consequence of large-scale oil spillage in coastal waters is the fouling of marine birds; a common response is to clean those birds that survive the initial incident, and release them back into the wild. Two papers, analysing British and Dutch data on the rehabitation of oiled guillemots, show, however, that such cleaning endeavours are largely doomed to failure — they respectively report that only about 1% and 20% of the birds survived their first year after release.