What primary method do ornithologists use to establish precise longevity records for wild songbirds like thrushes?
Answer
Bird banding
Unlike mammals, birds do not possess easily observable aging markers like tooth wear, making direct age determination in the wild challenging. Ornithologists rely heavily on the scientific technique known as bird banding. This process involves affixing a uniquely numbered, unobtrusive tag onto a bird, usually upon its initial capture. If that same individual bird is subsequently captured or observed years later, this recapture event allows researchers to calculate a confirmed minimum age for that specific specimen. This documented history, or 'recapture,' provides the crucial data points necessary for establishing longevity records for the species.
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