With help from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff, California Waterfowl’s waterfowl crew has been busy trapping and banding ducks in the Klamath Basin since early July. They teamed up with the refuge biologists again in an effort to beat last year’s record of 5,000 banded birds in five weeks. And despite the numerous challenges (evaporating wetlands, botulism, wildfires) our crew and refuge staff have faced, they have been able to capture and mark an even 1,500 birds using a variety of techniques, including swim-in traps, rocket nets and spotlighting. The below reflects only the number of CWA bands deployed so far. USFWS band totals will be added later in the summer.

CWA bands deployed at the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex from July 12 to August 1:

Mallard - 914
Gadwall - 479
Redhead - 76
Ruddy - 10
Pintail - 8
Northern Shoveler - 5
American Wigeon - 1
Ringneck - 1
Canada Goose - 6

TOTAL - 1,500

Great job waterfowl crew and THANK YOU to the refuge biologists for all the help!

Ten ruddy ducks were recently banded by CWA and USFWS refuge staff.