Catching methods and biometrics of breeding Ring Ouzels Turdus torquatus torquatus in northeast Scotland

Abstract

Between 1999 and 2002, we caught 116 (54 male and 62 female) breeding adult Ring Ouzels Turdus torquatus torquatus in Glen Clunie, northeast Scotland. Four different catching methods are described and their success assessed. There was no evidence that any catching method had a detrimental effect on either nest outcome, or the frequency of second breeding attempts in the same year. Plumage characteristics were used to age and sex birds caught, following their use to age and sex migrants and museum specimens. These characteristics were found to be reliable for all 19 birds of known age. Males had, on average, longer wings and deeper and whiter gorgets than females, but they were not heavier. Among both males and females 2+ year birds had, on average, longer wings than 2nd year birds, and 2+ year females were also heavier and had whiter gorgets than 2nd year birds. © 2003 British Trust for Ornithology.