Reduce electrocutions by using plastic, not aluminium, leg rings to mark birds

Overall effectiveness category Unlikely to be beneficial
Number of studies: 1
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How is the evidence assessed?

Effectiveness

0%
Certainty

42%
Harms

0%

Calculating overall effectiveness category

Background information and definitions

Leg rings, used to identify birds, could increase electrocution rates if made of metal. Therefore, plastic bands are sometimes recommended.

Study locations

Key messages

A replicated and controlled study in the USA found no evidence for lower electrocution rates for raptors marked with plastic leg rings, compared to metal ones.

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Supporting evidence from individual studies

A replicated, controlled study in Tucson, Arizona, USA (Dwyer & Mannan 2009), found that electrocution rates for 38 Harris’s hawks Parabuteo unicinctus marked with plastic leg bands were no lower than for 41 birds marked with aluminium bands. In addition, there were no signs of burning/electrocution close to the rings on dead birds’ legs.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
Dwyer J.F. & Mannan R.W. (2009) Return rates of aluminum versus plastic leg bands from electrocuted Harris’s hawks (Parabuteo unicinctus). Journal of Raptor Research, 43, 152-154.

Please cite as:

Williams, D.R., Child, M.F., Dicks, L.V., Ockendon, N., Pople, R.G., Showler, D.A., Walsh, J.C., zu Ermgassen, E.K.H.J. & Sutherland, W.J. (2020) Bird Conservation. Pages 137-281 in: W.J. Sutherland, L.V. Dicks, S.O. Petrovan & R.K. Smith (eds) What Works in Conservation 2020. Open Book Publishers, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

List of journals searched by synopsis

All the journals searched for all synopses

This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Bird Conservation

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