This is the 73rd annual report of the British Trust for Ornithology's Ringing Scheme, covering data received and work carried out in 2009.Much of the research carried out during the year looked at ways to improve the analysis of ringing data to understand population change. This included producing survival rates from the Constant Effort Sites (CES) scheme for the first time and further developing methods of analysing our demographic data sets in an integrated manner. Research was also undertaken on the biometric data to investigate how individual condition responds to long-term environmental change. CES data suggested that the low productivity in 2007 and 2008, combined .Data for 104 Retrapping Adults for Survival studies were submitted, covering 39 species, three quarters of which are Birds of Conservation Concern. The total number of birds ringed (935,867) was the highest ever recorded, and was over 10% higher than the mean of the previous five years. However, the total number of pulli ringed in 2009 (179,712) was only 5% higher than the preceding five-year mean, while that of fully grown birds (756,155) was over 13% higher. The recovery total (14,643) was also high. However, this is partly due to changes in the way that records of colour-ringed and other specially marked birds are stored. The number of recoveries of foreign-ringed birds (1,314) was higher than the mean of the preceding five years, although this figure is influenced by varying response times of different ringing schemes. Recovery details for 250 individual birds are given in the final section of the report. They include movements that confirm suspected or known migration patterns, unexpected movements and longevity records. This is the 73rd annual report of the Ringing Scheme of the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), which covers Britain and Ireland. The report summarises the research carried out during 2009 using ringing data and discusses totals of birds ringed and recovered (reports of ringed birds found dead and those found alive away from the site of ringing). Some exceptional recoveries received in 2009, and those that set new longevity records from BTO ringing, are included in the report.The metal rings used on birds each have a return address and a unique number. The species, age, sex, date and location of every bird ringed are recorded by over 2,500 volunteer ringers who submit these data to BTO HQ. In addition, for many birds, measurements such as wing length and weight are also submitted. Over 95% of the data are submitted electronically by the ringers. The few remaining data submitted on paper are input by a volunteer. Ringers also submit recoveries and recaptures (birds recaught at or near the site of ringing) electronically. The finding details of over 9,000 recoveries and over 200,000 recaptures were submitted electronically in 2009. Recoveries are also reported by members of the public (largely using the EURING online reporting form at www.ring.ac) and other ringing schemes. The remaining recoveries that are received on pa...
