At three weeks old, Apollo & Athena's kestrel chicks were ready for their identification bands.
Apollo & Athena
In their sixth breeding season kestrels Apollo & Athena had six eggs, but one didn't hatch and another was weak and didn't make it. The four kestrel chicks that survived are, however, all healthy - and strong. Unlike owls, which are more passive, kestrels are fiery and often try to protect themselves with both their feet and their beaks. It was important to get the process over as quickly as possible and return them to the nest - the last thing we wanted was for them to be stressed.
ID rings
British Trust for Ornithology rings are metal bands, or tags, with unique numbers engraved into each. These are clipped onto the legs of the kestrels so that they can be monitored throughout their lives and are designed to fit each bird perfectly. They are fitted by professionals who know exactly how tight they can go - they should not be too loose otherwise they can catch on twine or even barbed wire, neither should they be too tight.
Why birds are rung
Ringing is important for understanding population movements and decline. Bird ringing is strictly monitored by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) and only registered BTO ringers are permitted to ring birds. Jean Thorpe of Ryedale Rehabilitation is a trained bird ringer and she regularly visits to ring the birds here at Fotherdale.
Kestrel records
A record of each owl's birth date, place of birth, and weight at ringing is kept alongside the unique number on each ring. At this age it is difficult to tell the sex of the kestrel, but in general blue or grey feathers in the tail indicate a male. Two of the kestrels weighed 250g, one was 200g and 285g.
After ringing, the records were sent to the BTO. If these kestrels are found at any point in the future the unique identification number on the ring will reveal important information about the species.
