Written by Janelle Wicks, FOMR Director
Featured Image above: Refuge Law Enforcement Officer and airboat operator with Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge Hydrology Technician, Ben Lands prepare for duck retrieval.
On the night of Tuesday July 14th, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge hosted its annual duck banding effort at Boca Lake. This and other long-running waterfowl monitoring projects like it take place across the country and they helps biologists better understand bird populations, movement, and habitat use. The work brings together partners from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge, the Burns Paiute Tribe, Bird Alliance of Oregon, High Desert Partnership, and many community volunteers for a full night of collaborative conservation.
The effort began after sunset and continued through the twilight hours of the morning, with crews working from airboats to collect more than 600 waterfowl. Species collected and banded, included mallards, gadwall, cinnamon teal, blue-winged teal, northern pintail, along with a few ruddy ducks and ring-necked ducks. Once brought ashore, each bird was identified, weighed, and fitted with the appropriate band for its species.
The night also highlighted how much teamwork goes into a successful banding operation. Of the 23 people involved, four were first-time participants, including Friends of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge’s Conservation Stewardship Technician, Ian Snyder. The mix of experienced biologists, technicians, and volunteers gave newer crew members the chance to learn hands-on skills while contributing to an important regional effort.
Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge Volunteer, Roula Loew, joined this year for her third annual banding! While having the experience of a seasonal volunteer, this was her first year banding a redhead. Malheur Refuge Wildlife Biologist, Alexa Martinez, instructed Roula through the application of a steel band on the redhead rather than the typical aluminum ones. This special treatment is because redheads will often winter in areas with brackish or saline water, which can corrode aluminum more quickly.
Behind every band placed on a duck’s leg is a much bigger conservation story. Routine banding programs like this one help wildlife managers track waterfowl populations over time and evaluate how wetlands are supporting birds across the flyway. At Malheur, where water conditions, habitat management, and bird use are deeply connected, that information is especially valuable.
The effort was also a reminder of the strength of partnership in rural eastern Oregon. From airboat operators to netters to data recorders, this work depends on coordination, patience, and a shared commitment to waterfowl conservation. As the morning light returned over Malheur, the team had not only banded hundreds of birds but also added another important chapter to the Refuge’s long tradition of science-based stewardship.
