OVERVIEW
In 2022, our Wildlife team launched a multi-year banding project to study the population dynamics and habitat use of various waterfowl in the Pend Oreille River Valley. We set up multiple traps in the wetlands of Tribally owned properties to capture and band several species, including mallards and pintails. Once captured, the birds are fitted with either a numbered band or a GPS/GSM “backpack” device, allowing data to be shared through the USGS Bird Banding Laboratory's database.
Before this project began, banding efforts in this section of the Pacific Flyway had been minimal or non-existent since the 1970s, and there was limited knowledge about how waterfowl utilize this region. This study aims to correct the lack of available data, and since its initiation, the team has banded over 1,600 birds, with a target of banding more than 500 birds each year. Collecting this data is essential for estimating survival rates, harvest patterns, and migration trends. The insights gained from this project will help us develop waterfowl management strategies and improve wetland restoration efforts, including KNRD’s Wetland Management Plan.
Waterfowl are an underutilized resource, relevant not only as a food source but also for their impact on the overall ecosystem. For the Kalispel Tribe, these species hold immense cultural significance and are recognized as a federally managed international treaty resource. KNRD’s dedication to the banding program reflects our principal commitment to being responsible stewards of the lands, waters, and wildlife that sustain the Tribe’s cultural identity.
