Due to intensive ringing of Common Cranes with color combinations in Germany since the late 1980s, the number of available free combinations using a pool of six different colors is decreasing rapidly. We therefore decided to use “brown” a new seventh color and we used such rings test wise in our study area in Northern Pomerania/Germany in summer 2016. The brown ring will only occur on the left leg as part of the new German country code “blue-brown-blue”. The use of brown rings goes back to a positive decision during a conference of the European Crane Working Group in Stralsund in 2010, while we now use these rings for the first time in the wild. Therefore you have to expect seven different colors (white, yellow, red, blue, green, black, brown) in color combinations of juvenile Common Cranes since year 2016

The new version for instance allows a more easy input of observation sites, exact input of co-observers, more detailed information on flocksize, more easy information about site and habitat use as well as allows data input of readings of alphanumeric colorings and also metal rings. Additionally, also the life history reports are much improved. The pdf-versions now show a map with all recovery sites, but also information about co-observers, flocksize and relationships between birds.

More details about all improvements can be found under FAQ.

The new update of iCORA was again kindly supported by a grant given by the North German foundation for Environment and Development (http://www.nue-stiftung.de/), using revenues from the Bingo lottery.