Little Tern Sightings
Help us track Little Tern movements
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Re-sightings are important but the birds welfare comes first. All Little Terns are afforded special legal protection under schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and it is illegal to disturb them during breeding, and for the purposes of photography, without a formal Licence.
For those experienced birdwatchers who are familiar with re-sighting colour bird rings please report your sightings in the usual way.
Yellow Rings
Yellow colour rings with a three digit code in black writing include the EU LIFE Project sites around England and Wales and the Isle of Man colony.
Green Rings
Green colour rings with a three digit code in white writing on the right or left tarsus are used at the Irish east coast colonies.
Blue Rings
Blue colour rings with a two digit code in white writing are used at the Teesside colonies.
There are also a variety of single colour bands from UK colonies that were used until the alpha-numeric ringing took over in the last few years.
If you see any colour rings on little terns please report them through www.ring.ac as well as emailing them to LittleTernSightings@rspb.org.uk. Please provide full details: noting the colour of the ring, any code, which leg the ring was on, where you saw it (place name/grid reference) and when you saw it (date/time).