Avian Demography Unit
Department of Statistical Sciences
University of Cape Town 		ADU home     UCT Home page

SAFRING procedures for ringers (and FAQ)

Qualifying
    To qualify as a new ringer, the following criteria must be met:
  • 1. Two ringers need to send a recommendation to SAFRING that you are competent in all aspects of bird ringing.
  • 2. Obtain provincial permit.
  • 3. SAFRING will post data to be entered to test your data entry accuracy skills (99% needs to be achieved before you will be issued with a ringers number).
Listserver Ask to join the ringers listserver (email safring@adu.uct.ac.za).
Permits Apply for your provincial permit annually. Note that in Gauteng it is now necessary to pay R50 for the permit.
Orders View up to Price lists and read about how to order rings and equipment from SAFRING.
Permits Apply for your provincial permit annually. Note that in Gauteng it is now necessary to pay R50 for the permit.
Excel program Get the SAFRING excel program to enter your ringing data.
Colour rings If you want to do a colour ring project, first check with SAFRING to prevent duplication. You need to plan the combinations you want to use and you will be sent a form to fill in a few basic things about your project. Some guidelines are given in Safring News 29:36-44. See also the BTO specifications
Data
  • Ring data Submitting data to SAFRING. Frequency: at least once a year, in July submit all outstanding data until 30 June (Data from 1 July must be submitted separately). Preferably submit data every quarter.
  • Retraps Submit retrap data with your ringing data. Submit foreign controls immediately - do not wait until you submit your ringing data.
  • Recoveries Submit recoveries immediately - do not wait until you submit your ringing data.
Data errors When you receive schedule summaries, please check that all is correct. If you find errors, or SAFRING informs you of errors, send corrections ASAP by listing the relevant ring number and the correction (do not resend the whole data set with the correct data unless requested to do so).
Retrap errorsThe most frequent error with retrap data is that a ringer misreads the ring number (or types it incorrectly. When this retrap is processed in the SAFRING database, the species recorded in the ringing record and the species in the retrap record will usually not match up. In such a case the retrapper needs to check if the retrap ring number was merely an error and sending the correct ring number will solve the problem. If the ring number was misread, inform SAFRING that the retrap record should be deleted.
Transfers To transfer rings to another ringer, SAFRING must be informed of the following: Ringer selling/giving rings, First Ring number of each consecutive ring series, number of rings in that series, ringer receiving the rings. For other equipment it is not necessary to inform SAFRING of the transfer. Transfers of rings and equipment may only be to currently qualified ringers.

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Office Avian Demography Unit
Enquiries/More Information: SAFRING safring@adu.uct.ac.za
Last updated 1-Nov-2002