![](http://www.alamy.com/thumbs/6/B0780A15-C902-40E0-A5AC-9149D2A2F3D5/CPFJD8.jpg)
Female blackcap. Birds are caught in a mist net without being harmed and are then examined and ringed before being released.
Bird ringing is done to help define patterns of bird movement within and outside of a country. The ringing is carried out co-operatively between the RSPB and the British Trust for Ornithology. Birds are caught in a mist net which is a safe way to capture them. They are bagged and then measured (weight, wing length) sexed and aged as best as possible before being ringed with a unique number and then released. If someone finds a ringed bird then the ring can be returned to the address on the ring with information about where/when it was found which helps to understand bird activity.
Size: 3333px × 5000px
Location: Ynys Hir RSPB Reserve, Ceredigon, West Wales, UK
Photo credit: © Philip Jones / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: atricapilla, bird, blackcap, british, bto, caught, ecology, female, hir, netted, ornithology, ringing, rspb, sylvia, trapped, trust, ynys, zoology