Bewick's Swan

White ring with a black 3 alpha-numeric code (on one leg) and metal ring (on other leg).

  note 1 : 3 alpha-numeric code holds 2 numbers and 1 letter (11A-24S).

note 2 : Standards used for legrings.
* females always ringed left, males right.
* a white ring means that the age couldn’t be identified, so older than 2 or 3 years. Birds of which the age could be identified, receive a yellow ring (juvenile, birds of the year, 3cy-old birds).
* all birds ringed in Martin Mere start with letter U with an unknown age (so colour white). Birds with a known age (so colour yellow) start with the letter X.
* all birds ringed in Slimbridge start with letter T with an unknown age (so colour white). Birds with know age (so colour yellow) start with the letter Y or Z.
* all birds ringed in Welney, only by Tony Martin, start with letter ‘A’ with an unknown age and with a known age (so colour yellow)  the series 500 are used.
* in the past birds in their breeding territories were ringed with a white ring (unknown age) starting with the letter ‘T’ for adult birds and with the series 300 and 400 for known age birds. Birds ringed during summer 2004 in the Pechora-Delta/Russia have the same combinations as the adult birds (age unknown, so white ring) : 11A-Z, 12A-Z, 13A-Z, 14A-Z, 15A-Z. Birds with a known age received the yellow 400-serie.
* series starting with B, S or E are used long time ago, birds are probably already dead. [it seems that an occasional bird is still alive] E-code were used in Martin-Mere, while S was used in Slimbridge.
* letters like E, G, K, M, O, Q, R and W are not used in end-combinations.

Yellow ring with a black 3 digit code (on one leg) and metal ring (on other leg). 

note 1 : 3 digit code can be : 3 letters (EXJ-ZCZ) OR 2 numbers and 1 letter (396-910) . 

note 2 : Standards used for legrings.
* females always ringed left, males right.
* a white ring means that the age couldn’t be identified, so older than 2 or 3 years. Birds of which the age could be identified, receive a yellow ring (juvenile, birds of the year, 3cy-old birds).
* all birds ringed in Martin Mere start with letter U with an unknown age (so colour white). Birds with a known age (so colour yellow) start with the letter X.
* all birds ringed in Slimbridge start with letter T with an unknown age (so colour white). Birds with know age (so colour yellow) start with the letter Y or Z.
* all birds ringed in Welney, only by Tony Martin, start with letter ‘A’ with an unknown age and with a known age (so colour yellow)  the series 500 are used.
* in the past birds in their breeding territories were ringed with a white ring (unknown age) starting with the letter ‘T’ for adult birds and with the series 300 and 400 for known age birds. Birds ringed during summer 2004 in the Pechora-Delta/Russia have the same combinations as the adult birds (age unknown, so white ring) : 11A-Z, 12A-Z, 13A-Z, 14A-Z, 15A-Z. Birds with a known age received the yellow 400-serie.
* series starting with B, S or E are used long time ago, birds are probably already dead. [it seems that an occasional bird is still alive] E-code were used in Martin-Mere, while S was used in Slimbridge.
* letters like E, G, K, M, O, Q, R and W are not used in end-combinations.

Yellow neckring with a black 4 alpha-numeric code (three numbers and one letter).

note 1: used neckband codes are :  901A-999A, 000E-176E and 260E-335E.

note 2: neckbands 913A – 936A and 057E-144E contain a GPS tracker but no solar panels.

note 3 : birds have also a yellow legring with the same code.

note 4 : The Netherlands Institute of Ecology is interested in relations of ringed and tracked swans: are they paired, do they have cygnets/siblings/parents? Please upload your sightings including this additional information to cr-birding.submit.

note 5 :

Yellow neckring with black 4 alpha-numeric code (three numbers and one letter).

note 1 : used codes are all except ​...A, ...E and ...T

note 2 : this project was started in 1989. The total number of birds marked in this project is 382 (293 in The Netherlands and 89 in Germany). Catching has been done mainly between 1992 and 1997. The last catch was made in March 2000. Since then 5 more birds have been marked by Axel Degen during cathing of Whooper Swans in Germany. In winter 2006/2007 the total number of Bewick's Swans still wearing a yellow neckcollar of this project has decreased to about 20 individuals. Probably this number will increase again during the years to come as Axel Degen will continue this project in the (very) near future. 

White neckring with a black 4 alpha-code and same leg-ring.

note 2 : by mid-December 2010 some 10 Bewicks were caught of which 4 have been ringed with an in-build GPS. The idea is to follow up which migration-route are taken in function of the off-shore wind energy parks.  Used codes are 001T till 010T.

note 2 : Our Thanks. We thank all observers for taking the time to report their detailed observations of colour-ringed swans. Without this valuable information it would not be possible to follow the movements of individual birds. The Swan Supporters' interest in the migratory Bewick's and Whooper Swans helps directly with the long-term study of the species and we are extremely grateful to you all for your continued support. The Bewick's and Whooper Swan research programmes have, once again, received support from the Peter Scott Trust for Education and Research in Conservation, with a view to continuing the studies of swans on their breeding grounds. The Bewick's Swan study is undertaken in collaboration with the All Russian Research Institute for Nature Protection. Whooper Swan research in Iceland is conducted in collaboration with the Icelandic Institute of Natural History, the University of Reykjavik and Mr Sverrir Thorstensen.
We are grateful to the British Airways Assisting Conservation programme for enabling researchers to travel to study sites overseas.

Blue neckring with a white 4 alpha-numeric code.

note 1 : series are 001P till 008P, 091P till 100P, S01 till S19 and H01.

note 2 : Our Thanks. We thank all observers for taking the time to report their detailed observations of colour-ringed swans. Without this valuable information it would not be possible to follow the movements of individual birds. The Swan Supporters' interest in the migratory Bewick's and Whooper Swans helps directly with the long-term study of the species and we are extremely grateful to you all for your continued support. The Bewick's and Whooper Swan research programmes have, once again, received support from the Peter Scott Trust for Education and Research in Conservation, with a view to continuing the studies of swans on their breeding grounds. The Bewick's Swan study is undertaken in collaboration with the All Russian Research Institute for Nature Protection. Whooper Swan research in Iceland is conducted in collaboration with the Icelandic Institute of Natural History, the University of Reykjavik and Mr Sverrir Thorstensen.
We are grateful to the British Airways Assisting Conservation programme for enabling researchers to travel to study sites overseas.

White neckband with a black 4 alpha-numeric code : number/number/number/ letter "T".

note 1 : by mid-December 2010 some 10 Bewicks were caught of which 4 have been ringed with an in-build GPS. The idea is to follow up which migration-route are taken in function of the off-shore wind energy parks.  Used codes are 001T till 010T.

note 2 : used letters are : A B C D E F G H J K L N P R S T U V X Y Z.

note 3 : used codes are : 011T-199T.

note 4 :