Latest news with #waterfowl
CBC
2 days ago
- Climate
- CBC
Alberta ducks in fowl situation as wetlands remain dry despite recent rains
A survey of waterfowl habitat in southern Alberta found that recent precipitation was absorbed by the dry soil without much impact on wetland water levels. Ducks Unlimited said population numbers have dropped in recent years because of the dry period.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Alberta ducks in fowl situation as wetlands remain dry despite recent rains
A survey of waterfowl habitat in southern Alberta found that recent precipitation was absorbed by the dry soil without much impact on wetland water levels. Ducks Unlimited said population numbers have dropped in recent years because of the dry period.
New York Times
08-07-2025
- Science
- New York Times
Trump's Budget Would Clip Bird Banding. Hunters Are Not Happy.
For more than a century, the Bird Banding Laboratory has placed small metallic bands on the legs of birds across North America. Each year, the lab receives thousands of reports from bird watchers and biologists who spot the markers on the birds and report them to the lab. In this way, the lab tracks and monitors the movements and numbers of birds, from sparrows to sparrow hawks. At a moment when bird populations are declining globally, banding is essential for conserving species and tracking population changes over time. It is also integral in setting regulations and limits for waterfowl hunting. Indeed, no group reports more bird bands — or prizes them more — than hunters. 'It's the trophy of trophies for a hunter,' said Rusty Creasey, a duck hunter from Arkansas. The trophy may not last. The lab falls under the U. S. Geological Survey's Ecosystem Mission Area, the agency's major ecology program, which under President Trump's 2026 proposed budget would see funding reduced to $29 million, from $293 million. Many hunters are unhappy at the prospect. 'I just hate the thought of losing that,' said Eric Patterson, a duck hunter based in Alabama. 'It is an extreme measure to take.' Mark Lindberg, a wildlife biologist who worked for the University of Alaska Fairbanks for 20 years, said that the cuts would have a lasting effect. 'We're going to go from being the most refined waterfowl harvest management system in the world — no comparison — to one of the least informed,' he said. Dr. Lindberg is also a hunter. Each band reported by hunters is essential for detecting changes in waterfowl populations and for setting hunting regulations. In its contribution to waterfowl management, the Bird Banding Laboratory 'has given us something that is the envy of the world,' Ramsey Russell, a duck hunter in Mississippi, said. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
