Individuals
The Individuals module is used to register and manage information about specific birds. Each record represents a single bird, identified by its taxon and optionally by a band (ring). This module is central to long-term monitoring, as it allows you to track individuals across captures, sightings, nests, and other records.
Open the Individuals module in the main menu: Fieldwork → Individuals.
Adding or editing an individual
When creating or editing an individual record, the following fields are available:
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Taxon | Yes | The taxon of the individual (species, subspecies, etc.) |
| Band | The bird band (ring) assigned to the individual | |
| Banding date | Date when the bird was banded | |
| Double band | Additional band, if the bird carries more than one | |
| Removed band | Band that was removed and replaced | |
| Band change date | Date when the band was replaced | |
| Right tarsus | Bands and colored bands on the right tarsus (below the joint) | |
| Left tarsus | Bands and colored bands on the left tarsus (below the joint) | |
| Right leg | Bands and colored bands on the right leg (above the joint) | |
| Left leg | Bands and colored bands on the left leg (above the joint) | |
| Birth date | Date of birth of the individual (can be approximate) | |
| Death date | Date of death of the individual (can be approximate) | |
| Sex | Sex of the individual: Male, Female, Unknown | |
| Age | Age category of the individual (see below) | |
| Nest | Nest where the bird was born (links to the Nests module) | |
| Father | The bird registered as the father of the individual | |
| Mother | The bird registered as the mother of the individual | |
| Recognizable markings | Description of visible and distinctive markings (plumage, scars, deformities) | |
| Notes | Any additional information about the individual |
Age categories
The Age field allows you to classify the developmental stage of the bird. This classification is important for demographic studies and population monitoring.
- Unknown – Age not determined
- Adult – Fully mature bird
- Juvenile – Young bird, not yet fully mature
- Fledgling – Bird that has recently left the nest but is still dependent
- Nestling – Bird still in the nest, dependent on parents
- First year – Bird in its first calendar year
- Second year – Bird in its second calendar year
- Third year – Bird in its third calendar year
- Fourth year – Bird in its fourth calendar year
- Fifth year – Bird in its fifth calendar year
Best practices
- Always link bands: If the bird is banded, record the band details to ensure traceability across modules.
- Use nests for pedigree: Linking individuals to nests, fathers, and mothers helps build family trees and track lineage.
- Record markings: Distinctive markings are useful for re-identification in the field, especially if bands are lost.
- Approximate dates: If exact birth or death dates are unknown, approximate values can still provide valuable demographic information.
- Update status: Keep records updated when individuals die, lose bands, or change identifiers.
Relation to other modules
The Individuals module is interconnected with several other parts of Xolmis:
- Bands: Each individual can be linked to one or more bands.
- Nests: Birth information connects individuals to nests, allowing pedigree tracking.
- Sightings and captures: Observations reference individuals, enabling longitudinal studies.
- Specimens: Individuals may be associated with collected samples.
By maintaining accurate individual records, you ensure that all ornithological data in Xolmis is consistent and traceable across modules.