Posted on 04/25/2003 9:24:03 PM PDT by blam
52-year-old bird is Britain's oldest
Ornithologists have found a 52-year-old Manx shearwater which they say is Britain's oldest known bird.
They believe the bird, found on Bardsey Island off the Lleyn Peninsula, North Wales, will have flown about five million miles in its lifetime.
It was first ringed in May 1957 when it was about six years old.
The British Trust for Ornithology say it's a record breaker, reports The Times.
It has flown at least 500,000 miles during winter migrations to South America. Add to that its 600-mile feeding flights and experts believe it has already flown more than five million miles.
The bird was trapped for the second time in 1961 and again in 1978. It was caught again last year and ornithologists thought that would be the last they saw of it.
However, it has now turned up again and was caught by Steve Stansfield, warden of Bardsey Bird Observatory.
Graham Appleton, of the observatory, said: "The old bird was given its fourth ring; again, something of a record. The others had all worn out."
Story filed: 09:18 Friday 25th April 2003
Thus making it a "Tolkien" bird . 8->
Manx Shearwater
<Squawk> Pieces of eight!
<Squawk> Pieces of eight!
<Squawk> Pieces of eight!
<Squawk> Pieces of eight!
<Squawk> Pieces of eight!
<Squawk> Pieces of nine!
<SYSTEM HALTED: parroty error!>
What about Churchill’s Parrot? ;’)
He's 107 years old and still swearing like a sailor.
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