EXPERTS believe a tiny bird caught at a nature reserve will have travelled more than 60,000 miles in its life.
The willow warbler, which weighs the same as a pound coin, was caught by ringers at the Foxglove Covert reserve, in Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire.
The male bird was first ringed at the reserve as a chick in 2001.
Major Tony Crease, a conservation officer at the Ministry of Defence site, believes the bird will have flown more than 10,000 miles to Africa and back every year since.
He said: "It is most unusual to find a bird of this age.
"They are such small birds and when you consider the distances they have to travel and the climate differences they have to face, it is amazing. Being a small bird, they also have lots and lots of predators. For one to survive all of this (for six years) is quite remarkable."
The journey from North Yorkshire to southern Africa takes the birds more than ten weeks.
They leave Britain and head south in August and September, flying over the Channel, Mediterranean and then the Sahara Desert, one of the most inhospitable places on earth.
Willow warblers and their close cousins, chiffchaffs, begin returning to the nature reserve towards the end of April.
The male birds arrive about two weeks before females to claim their territory.
Maj Crease said: "So few survive that it is hard to say if they always come back to the same place. This bird will raise two broods this year, totalling about 12 young, and then off it will go again."
Foxglove Covert is running several events as part of local nature reserve week, from June 2 to 10. The events will start with a discovering dragonflies session on Sunday, June 3.
Also on June 3, a botanical walk will be held, followed by a wildflower walk the next day.
Other events include a birdsong breakfast, a birdsong supper, a tree identification session and a family pond day.
Call the reserve on 01748-875504.
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