If you ring your birds with IBR rings you are giving them a future. Whenever the bird flies, it is wearing a telephone number on a unique ring and when found can be returned to you. Give it a flying start. New laws state that rings must be unique. This has caused major headaches.
Many people can have the same initials or use the same numbers.
This does not necessarily get your bird back. Our rings have a non repeated number together with IBR and our telephone number. This makes them unique. If rings are not unique, you may need to microchip the bird to sell it. Barn Owls now have the same status as all other European Owls in Annexe A group.