Ornithological Station begins bird ringing campaign

The National Ornithological Station (EON), in the Santo André and Sancha Lagoons Nature Reserve, in the municipality of Santiago do Cacém, captured 3,206 birds in 2024, during the ringing campaign that takes place annually.

In a statement, the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF) indicated that, from this month until October, the EON of Monte do Outeirão, in that municipality of the district of Setúbal, will once again be the stage for another International Bird Ringing Campaign .

Of the total captures in last year's campaign, according to the organization, " 2,589 birds from 78 species and subspecies were ringed, with the remaining 617 birds being recaptured ."

The first bird ringing campaign in Santo André Lagoon took place in 1977 and this activity takes place annually and attracts bird experts from around the world, but also anyone who wants to learn more about birdlife.

Until October 10, several activities will be held at EON, opened in 2004, including bird ringing training and daily visits to the station, which welcomes hundreds of students, families and tourists every year.

“The training activities aim to equip participants with theoretical and practical knowledge about bird ringing, including field visits for the assembly and disassembly of capture nets, ringing and bird observation,” explained the ICNF.

At a national level, these actions are coordinated by ICNF, through the Center for Studies on Migration and Bird Protection (CEMPA) and the Bird Ringing Center.

"Bird ringing is an essential technique for studying bird migrations, resting and breeding sites, providing valuable data for species conservation," stated the ICNF, acknowledging that Santo André Lagoon has been "a crucial point" for this work.

According to the same organization, the training process for banders "is demanding and lasts approximately two to three years . During this period, the apprentice bander undergoes a final evaluation to verify the quality and thoroughness of their work."

“All bird banders are bound by a mandatory code of conduct, which aims to ensure the well-being of wild birds,” he stressed.

The EON area, with 270 hectares, attracts "ornithologists from all over the world, contributing significantly to the protection of birdlife, allowing the collection of fundamental information for the effective protection of migratory and resident bird species."

The ICNF revealed, in the statement, that, “since the beginning of the campaigns, a total of 173,266 birds of 192 species have been captured, recaptured and ringed”.

“The most captured species are the reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaeus), the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) and the song warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus),” he specified.