BANDING NORTHERN PINTAILS

Partnering for Pintail Banding Summary

Since 2006, California Waterfowl has been banding pintail in an effort to gather critical data that can be used to update the current Adaptive Harvest Management (AHM) process for pintail. The information gathered from band recoveries will be used to improve the precision of survival estimates, a critical component of the pintail model. California Waterfowl believes that current harvest limitations are based on incomplete data sets. To read more about our effort to help solve this problem visit our Partnering for Pintail page.

The type of information a banded bird can provide depends on the time of year and the location the bird was banded. Our field crews pursue pintail two times a year in California, Pre-Season and Post-Season.

Pre-Season:
Banding pintail just before waterfowl season is one of the best methods we have to obtain a measure of annual survival. 

Crews generally start chasing pintail in the Central Valley in late August or early September. This is when pintail historically begin to migrate to traditional wintering areas in the Valley. Our Pre-Season banding efforts have been focused in the San Joaquin Valley at Kern NWR and Mendota WA. Time permitting, we also make an effort to trap and band pintail in the Sacramento Valley.  In addition to our banding crew, DFG has a crew banding pintail around the Sacramento NWR Complex every year.

Post-Season:
Banding pintail immediately after hunting season allows biologists to more accurately estimate seasonal survival of pintail, especially through the breeding and molting periods. These are critical times of the year for pintail for which very little data exists.

Field crews begin scouting and setting nets during the last few weeks of hunting season so they can be ready to band immediately after the season closes.  Following the close of waterfowl season, most pintail congregate within the Sacramento Valley prior to their northward spring migration.  Typically, our crew has the month of February to chase pintail in the Sacramento Valley.  Upon spring migration, our crews follow the birds north to the Klamath area and band through the month of March.

Banding Summary:
So far, California Waterfowl field crews have banded 6,378 pintail since 2006. DFG crews have banded 3,442 pintail during their Pre-Season efforts. Below is a summary table of California Waterfowl banding efforts since 2006.

Yolo Bypass WA Pintail Trapping Photos :
(from our Pre-Season Efforts)

Click for full size photo

Pintail loafing on shore near rocket net.	Rocket net fired!
Pintail leaving pond after rockets fired.	Banding crew freeing ducks from net.
Determining the age and sex of pintail.	Releasing banded pintail.