NWA Volunteers Needed! Sign Up Today!
Nevada Waterfowl Association (NWA) is working with the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) for the 2024 Waterfowl Banding Season. NDOW is Banding seven days a week through September 18th, and has set aside three days for NWA members. NDOW is limiting each volunteer day to 5 to 8 members.
To volunteer, email Travis O’Donnell with your name, email address, phone number, and date you are interested in participating in: [email protected]
NWA Banding Days:
• August 24th
• August 31st
• September 7th
For other NDOW volunteer opportunities, register at:
The Process:
NDOW operates swim-in clover leave traps that are set in shallow water and baited with corn (see image above). Traps are checked daily during the season, typically with a start time of 6 am. Ducks make their way into the trap through narrow doors as they feed on bait. When working trap, banders drive ducks into a raceway, and eventually into a capture box. Ducks are transferred from the holding box to capture crates which are then brought back to shore to be banded, have the species, sex, and age determined, and measurements taken.
Volunteers will have the opportunity to help in all of these processes at the direction of the NDOW or Refuge employees running trapping operations that day. The reality of all wildlife capture and handling operations are that some days traps are empty. Occasionally birds are sick or injured in the process.
Program Details:
2024 Waterfowl banding will continue until September 18th as all activities must stop at least 10 days before the first waterfowl season (youth season).
Most banding will take place at Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge, although it is possible banding will occur at Carson Lake WMA and the Canvasback Club.
The goal of the banding program is to band mallards as the Pacific Flyway makes regulatory decisions (season frameworks) based off the Western Mallard Model. However, we band any, and all ducks captured.
The attached a banding records are inclusive of all game bird banding operations around the state and not specific to just the Lahontan Valley operations. Although the majority of waterfowl banding occurs there.
Volunteers will be working on muddy playas and in the water. Conditions are hot with plentiful numbers of mosquitos and biting flies.
Recommended Gear:
• Sun Hat
• Sunscreen
• Bug Repellent
• Waders (uninsulated are best to avoid overheating). If not waders, at least muck boots.
Those with muck boots can wait at water’s edge.
• No dogs allowed!
Health Risks:
In addition to normal health risks of working in a marsh setting. Recent testing of waterfowl around the state has confirmed that Nevada, like most of the continent, is facing a large scale outbreak of Highly Pathogenetic Avian Influenza (HPAI). This disease affects birds like flu viruses affect most hosts. Some carry the virus with seemingly little to no affect, while others die from it. HPAI is known to affect most mammal species and can be contracted by humans, although cases are rare.
HPAI like with all viruses, standard safety precautions should be taken. The safest route is to not handle infected birds. However, if handling them it is recommended that personal protective gear be worn including nitrile gloves, face masks, and safety glasses be worn. The hot nature of these personal protective items, and they are largely not sturdy enough to survive long while handling wildlife.
People who have compromised immune systems should not volunteer to handle any ducks. Those who do work in the marsh handling ducks should thoroughly wash their hands before touching their face or eating any food.
Anyone who has domestic poultry at home should take appropriate biosecurity measures when going between the marsh or home.
