The 10 millionth entry to Europe's largest scientific ringing database on wild birds is a bird ringed in Malta as part of research carried out by BirdLife Malta.

The female barn swallow was ringed locally last April 16 during its return migration from African wintering grounds to its European breeding grounds.

Two months later the same swallow was recaptured in Ràby, Czech Republic, where it was establishing a territory and building its nest following a successful migration.

This record joins millions of others held on the data bank of the European Union for Bird Ringing (Euring), a central computerised repository for ringing recovery records dating back over 100 years and covering 552 different bird species.

Euring has been the umbrella organisation of all European scientific bird ringing centres since 1962. It coordinates and promotes data-sharing between national ringing centres for the development and maintenance of high standards in scientific bird ringing.

Special training is required for bird ringing. Birds are identified, aged, sexed, and a broad range of data collected which varies depending on the species, and studies being carried out. The birds are then fitted with a means of identifying them, ranging from a uniquely numbered metal ring to hi-tech tags which transmit information to satellites. Malta's national scientific ringing scheme is administered by BirdLife Malta, which has been a Euring member since 1965.

Scientific ringing is carried out to gather information to help improve our understanding of wild bird populations and inform conservation efforts. Around a hundred ringing records link Malta to 22 European and African countries through barn swallow migration alone. Records for all species add a further 26 countries to this list.