Amidst the seismic rumblings of Kamchatka’s active volcanoes, a different kind of critical fieldwork is unfolding. On this remote Russian peninsula, a land of fire and ice, ornithologists are launching an ambitious project to track some of the world’s most magnificent birds of prey, providing vital data for international conservation efforts.
Scientists from Vitus Bering Kamchatka State University, in collaboration with the “Volcanoes of Kamchatka” nature park network, are conducting their seasonal bird banding initiative. The process involves fitting a small, uniquely numbered ring to a bird’s leg, which acts as a permanent passport. This fundamental research method allows scientists to trace migration routes, measure flight distances, identify crucial stopover sites for rest and feeding, and understand how long these birds live and the challenges they face in the wild.
“We band the chicks when they are nearly the size of an adult but not yet able to fly. This ensures the ring will not cause them any discomfort later in life,” explains Daria Panicheva, head of a youth laboratory at the university. While standard metal rings have been used for decades, they present a major limitation for reclusive raptors like the Steller’s sea eagle and the osprey. To read the tiny number, the bird must be recaptured—a rare event for these cautious species.
To overcome this, researchers are embracing a modern, international system of color banding. Large, colored rings with a specific code can be easily read from a distance using binoculars or a camera, eliminating the need to disturb the bird. Kamchatka has recently been assigned its own unique color combination within this global framework. Ospreys and eagles banded here will now sport distinctive silver-and-black or yellow-and-black rings, immediately identifying them as originating from the peninsula.
This past July, the project achieved notable success, with researchers banding nine white-tailed eagles, four iconic Steller’s sea eagles, and three ospreys along the Kamchatka River. All the data collected is fed into the Russian Raptor Research and Conservation Network (RRRCN), a shared database that contributes to a wider understanding of these migratory species whose journeys often cross international borders.
Researchers are now making a global appeal to residents and the thousands of tourists who visit the region. Anyone who spots a bird with a colored leg band is urged to report the sighting on the RRRCN website. This simple act of citizen science takes only a few minutes but provides an invaluable piece of the puzzle, directly contributing to the study and protection of Kamchatka’s unique and majestic avian predators.