Alderney's gannets tagged to see how far they fly

The tags are attached to their tail feathers and connect to a 3G mobile network. Credit: ITV Channel TV

Eight Ortac Gannets from Alderney have been tagged so people can see how far they fly.

Track a Gannet is a project run by the Alderney Wildlife Trust which allows the public to see the movement of the birds via an online map.

The solar-powered tags are attached to their tail feathers and connect to a 3G mobile network. These will send live updates on the bird's movements for up to six weeks.

The Alderney Wildlife Trust (AWT) says the tags are designed to fall off the birds after a relatively short period of time.

The gannets have shown they travel expansive lengths of the English Channel. Credit: teachingthroughnature.co.uk

The charity are hoping the data gathered will allow them to collate information on where the gannets search for fish, as well as showing the health of Alderney's waters.

Back in 2017, the AWT used geolocator rings, which were attached to the legs of the gannets, to gather data for up to two years.

One of them has now been recovered and the charity is currently trying to see if there is any retrievable information that will give a clearer picture of how the birds live.