Remarkable Catches

Noteworthy catches and recatches

These data may only be reproduced with expressed permission of the research field station Die Reit.

Helgoland U...112191 Reed Warbler

On August 18^th 2006 this extraordinarily coloured Reed Warbler was caught. Very prominent fault bars in the wing feathers simulate a colour pattern.

Helgoland TA...67559 Reed Bunting

This male was caught on July 2^nd 2005. Several plumage parts seem to lack dark pigments so that the feathers appear silvery.

Helgoland SE...73632 Reed Warbler

This bird was ringed here as 1y on August 19^th 1998. During that year it was caught again twice and after that was controlled in 2005 and 2006. This bird therefore is 8 years old. The average lifespan of Reed Warblers is 2 to 2.3 years. Only very few live to be older than 5 years, the oldest birds recorded are 12 years old. So our bird is comparatively old. Being a trans-saharan migrant wintering in west and central Africa this animal has travelled more than 70.000 kilometres.

Helgoland U...108278 Reed Warbler

Ringed here on August 3^rd 2005 this bird was caught in New Mill, Cornwall, England on September 13^th 2005. This animal travelled 1139 kilometres in 41 days.

Helgoland TA...67923 Reed Bunting

This female travelled 1522 kilometres in 59 days: from the Reit to Villafranca in Spain. Ringed on September 6^th 2005 and caught in Spain on November 4^th 2005. Reed Buntings are short distance migrants and many of our birds spend the winter in at the Mediterranean between Italy and Spain.

Helgoland U...107752 Bluethroat

This adult female Bluethroat was ringed here on July 15^th 2005 and travelled 1796 kilometres during the next 42 days to Los Albardales, Madrid, Spain.

Helgoland A...913527 Penduline Tit

Ringed on July 4^th this bird travelled to Chenac-Saint-Seurin d'Uzet, France. It took 113 days to travel the 1183 kilometres. Penduline Tits typically winter in the northern mediterranean area and seldom cross over to northern Africa.