Re-Use of alredy used ring ID's - is that theoretically possible? (1 Viewer)

[tom.cipco]

Dear Birders!

Recently I was asked if it's possible to reuse a bird ring ID that has already been used.
The discussion arose when "Wisdom - the Albatross" appeared a few days ago.

In other words:
Some speculative colleagues argue that it might be possible to re-use the same ring ID that Chandler Robbins applied to the bird in 1956.
"Wisdom" with the current ID is in fact a younger individual who was re-ringed with the same ID as it was used in 1956...

I have done some "online research" but have been unsuccessful so far - I would definitely appreciate any comments on this topic...


Tom

 

[Jacana]

In theory I suppose it would be possible to manufacture a replacement metal ring for a bird. But you would never want to reuse codes for different individuals over time. It would cause chaos in the databases and later analysis.

In practice, it is far easier to just replace a ring with a new code if needed and then make/note that change in your database.

 

[Jos Stratford]

I imagine it would also be impractical from a cost angle - rings are ordered and delivered in numbered batches. Asking for a bespoke number would certainly mean more work, if not cost, at place of manufacture.

Also rarely would it be worthwhile - most birds don't reach such grand ages deeming it necessary and most birds are recaught by chance, thus you would not have a necessary replacement to hand. The rare exceptions, such as these albatrosses, still don't necessitate the reuse - databases easily accommodate the pairing of old and new ring numbers.

 

[jurek]

At least in some countries and recently, rings are produced in a standard way by people in close collaboration with the ringing station, which would prevent remaking of old rings. If a bird is captured which has a worn or damaged ring, the ring is replaced with a new ring with a different number, and the note is made. So one long-lived bird can wear 2 or 3 different rings over its lifetime.

As others said, ringing stations generally avoid anything which can mess up the information. At least one former boss of a ringing station I knew was very strict and careful to avoid any possible mistakes around wrongly writing or reading numbers, which can very easily creep in. Even if, theoretically, an error crept in in the 1960s, the albatross would be confused with another albatross of a similar age ringed with another ring from the same batch in the 1960s.

The current record-holder bird is backed up by many other records of similarly long-lived albatrosses, by the way.

 

[tom.cipco]

...thank you for your comments.
However, what shook me so much was the discussion that prompted my colleagues:
Now you even doubt an established tracking system of living things that (should) help us to better understand our world and to better assess valid conclusions for changes in that very world.
Incidentally, I would never have come up with the abstruse idea of "reusing" a ring code that has already been used.

Tom