Goldfinch Colour-ringing Project

 

We’ve launched a new colour-ringing project and we need your help! 

Since the start of 2020, we have ringed 1181 individual Goldfinches and only had 5 recoveries. This is unusually low, especially when compared to Redpoll which has a similar ringing rate but much higher recovery rate. Given that Goldfinches are more common in gardens throughout the year than Redpoll, the low recovery rate is strange. Some comparison data are below:

Goldfinch stats 01/01/20 to present

1181 individuals ringed
106 retraps 8.9%
5 controls 0.4%

Redpoll stats 01/01/20 to present

1337 individuals ringed
26 retraps 1.9%
43 controls 3.2%

It is our aim to increase the recovery rate through colour-ringing so that we can better understand survival, adult recruitment, movement and dispersal.

If you see a colour-ringed Goldfinch, please send the two-letter code and the date and location of your sighting to: goldfinchresighting@gmail.com

We will send you the history of that bird - where and when it was ringed, and where else it's been seen.

A massive thank you to East Midlands Airport Community Fund, Lush, and Mansfield Building Society for supporting this project.

Holly