By Todd Schaller, WWA Vice President & Education Committee Chair
This article originally appeared in Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s September, 2023 Newsletter edition.
WWA Midland Wings chapter chair Ryan Mueller holds a bird to be banded at Collins Marsh earlier this summer
Ask a group of deer hunters what they consider a “trophy” and you better be prepared to settle in for long debate on the number of inches fitting the individual’s trophy standard. But ask a group of waterfowlers and the list is short: harvesting a new species, getting a full plumaged bird, and the number one response? Taking a banded bird. While the “bling” of a band on the leg of a bird you harvested or crimped on your call lanyard is considered a trophy, it is so much more.
The banding of birds for science and research in the United States goes back to the early 1800’s:
- The United States Geological Survey (USGS) – Bird Banding Laboratory started in 1920.
- Through the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, a Federal Bird Banding and Marking permit is required to conduct all bird banding activities.
- A harvested or found banded bird should be reported online through the USGS website.
- USGS (Not United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is responsible the collection, curation, archiving and dissemination of data from banded and marked birds.
- USGS, in collaboration with the Canadian Wildlife Service Bird Banding Office, creates the North American Bird Banding Program.
- While arguably the most popular, waterfowl is just part of USGS’s banding program.
How band data is used may vary depending on the specific research project. The three data points of interest to waterfowlers are bird movement (banding location to location of recovery), annual survival rates and evaluation of harvest rates.
WWA Midland Wings chapter volunteers assisted the DNR at Collins Marsh in a banding event that banded 940 Mallard, 80 Wood Ducks , 4 Pintail & 2 Widgeon
The success of the banding program is based on a long list of partnerships with United States Geological Survey, including State Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Waterfowl Flyway Councils and USFWS – Migratory Bird Program.
Waterfowl banding and banding reports have been researched numerous time to help refine the data, such as better understanding reporting bias, level of reporting, and intentional harvest of banded birds.
The Mississippi Flyway has a banding quota of 21,903 Wood Ducks and 11,150 Mallards. Wisconsin is a major contributor to the Flyway quota: 4,000 Mallards, 1,700 Wood Ducks, 4,100 Canada Geese and 850 Doves. Wisconsin uses 26 banding coordinators and locations across the state to reach their annual quota.
The next time you check the leg of a bird you harvested or play rock, paper, scissors to determine who claims the banded bird in the blind, know a band is so much more than “bling”. Data from banded and/or marked research birds allows for more effective bird science, management and conservation – so please keep reporting (and volunteering!)