A bird that doesn't like carrying luggage on its back! Goosanders risk thwarting research project in Scotland

Goosander - the male of the species

A SCOTTISH project to track the movement of Goosanders has hit a snag.

Apparently resenting having tags fitted to their backs, birds have been effecting removal by sawing through them with their serrated bills.

The monitoring glitch was revealed by chief executive Juliet Vickery at this afternoon's annual meeting of the BTO.

Not for nothing are Goosanders (plus Smew and Red-breasted Mergansers) known as 'sawbills'. 

There were some 83 attendees at the AGM which was held online over Zoom and lasted about 45 minutes.    

                                        

Female Goosander prospecting for nesting site on tree trunk