banding update for spring of 2017 Farm Island and Oahe Downstream, South Dakota

South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks’ Wildlife Diversity Program staff band during the peak of spring and fall migration at two sites in central South Dakota. The Farm Island State Recreation Area site was established in 1993. The Oahe Downstream Recreation Area site (called Fisherman’s Point) was added in 2004. With the exception of 2011 and the spring of 2012, when extreme flooding prevented access to the sites, we have banded at both sites since their establishment.

Species: Although the order varied, the same species generally dominated captures at both sites during this banding season. Top 10 Species Banded at Farm Island - Spring 2017 80

70 60 50 40 30 20 Number Banded Number 10 0

Top 10 Birds Banded at Fisherman's Point - Spring 2017 35 30 25 20 15 10

Number Banded Number 5 0

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Families: Distribution by bird families illustrates how birds respond to available habitats at the two sites. The predominant families - warblers, thrushes and flycatchers, were the same at both sites during this banding season, with slightly different percentages.

Bird Families Banded at Farm Island - Spring 2017 Other (<1% total banded) Blackbirds Vireos Finches 4% 4% 3% 4% Wrens 4% Warblers Mimids 31% 4% Sparrows 5%

Flycatchers 17% Thrushes 24%

Bird Families Banded at Fisherman's Point - Spring 2017 Grosbeaks Finches Blackbirds 2% Other Vireos 1% Sparrows 3% 2% 5% 4%

Orioles Warblers 5% 33% Mimids 6%

Wrens 8%

Thrushes Flycatchers 10% 21%

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Capture rates at Farm Island and Fisherman's Point - Spring 2017 1.400

1.200

1.000 Farm Island 0.800 Fisherman's Point 0.600

0.400

0.200 Capture Rate (birds/net hour) (birds/net Rate Capture 0.000 18-Apr 25-Apr 02-May 09-May 16-May 23-May 30-May

Capture rates: The capture rate (number of birds/net hour) at Farm Island peaked on May 25, 2017, with a value of 1.32 birds per net hour. Fisherman’s Point’s peak occurred one day later, on May 26, 2017, with 1.00 birds per net hour.

In all, we banded 526 birds during the spring of 2017; 337 birds at Farm Island and 189 birds at Fisherman’s Point.

Recaptures: We recaptured 45 birds, not including birds we first banded and recaptured this spring. All recaptures were birds we originally banded, although see the first bullet below the table.

When banded Farm Island Fisherman’s Point fall 2016 2 spring 2016 15 4 fall 2015 1 1 spring 2015 4 6 fall 2014 1 3 spring 2014 1 fall 2013 1 spring 2013 1 fall 2012 2 spring 2012 2 fall 2011 spring 2011 1 TOTAL 27 18 3

• A Yellow-shafted Flicker was recaptured on 6/1/2017 at Fisherman’s Point. This bird was originally banded on 5/5/2015 at Farm Island. When banded in 2015, the bird was estimated to be three years old.

• A female Common Yellowthroat banded at Farm Island on 9/11/2013 in at least its second year was found dead in Grand Island, Nebraska on 6/3/2017.

• A male Yellow Warbler was recaptured on 5/30/2017 at Fisherman’s Point. This bird was originally banded on 5/17/2011 at the same site and aged as an after hatch year (in at least its second year of life), making this bird about 7½ years old when recaptured this spring. He was also recaptured in May 2012, May 2014, and May 2015 at Fisherman’s Point. According to records maintained by the USGS Bird Banding Lab, the longevity record for this species is a minimum of 11 years. A female banded in June 2001 in was recaptured and rereleased during banding in June 2011.

These recaptures prove the importance of these sites for birds that need to rest and refuel during migration, individuals that return to these areas to breed each spring, and birds that are permanent residents of these areas.

Highlights:

A Gray-cheeked Thrush banded on May 18, 2017 at Fisherman’s Point was only the 6th individual of this species banded at that site.

A likely Rose-breasted/Black-headed Grosbeak hybrid (photo at left) first banded at Fisherman’s Point in May 2016 was recaptured at the same site in May 2017.

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A trio of thrushes. Swainson’s Thrush (top photo) is one of the most common species we band. The Veery (middle photo) and Hermit Thrush (bottom photo) are much less likely to be banded at our sites. We’ve banded 6 Hermit Thrushes, all at Farm Island and 12 Veeries, 7 at Farm Island and 5 at Fisherman’s Point. 5

Because of the potential to encounter hybrids of Yellow-rumped Warbler subspecies, called Audubon’s and Myrtle warblers, we watch for hybrid clues, such as a yellowish throat. But because it otherwise had plumage characteristics of a male Myrtle Warbler, we submitted the record as that subspecies.

Gray Catbirds can be aged in the spring as second year or after second year by the presence of a molt limit among the greater covert feathers. The greater coverts are those within the red arrows. At least the first two outermost greater coverts (those toward the outside of the wing) have not yet been replaced, making this a second year bird.

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Although American Kestrels (male pictured above) are permanent residents in our area, we do not catch many in our mist nets. We have only banded 6 individuals, all at Farm Island.

Mist netting allows us to see birds in their natural condition. We’ve previously featured images of birds with deformed bills or that appear to be blind in at least one eye. The photo above shows a Swainson’s Thrush with an old injury, what appears to be a broken leg that healed crookedly. We released this bird without banding it.

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Number of birds banded by species at Farm Island, spring of 2017

SPECIES NUMBER Swainson's Thrush 73 Yellow Warbler 42 Traill's Flycatcher 38 Common Yellowthroat 28 Least Flycatcher 18 House Wren 14 American Goldfinch 12 Gray Catbird 12 Myrtle Warbler 11 American Redstart 10 Warbling Vireo 8 Lincoln’s Sparrow 6 Brown-headed Cowbird 5 Common Grackle 5 Orange-crowned Warbler 5 American Robin 4 Song Sparrow 4 Spotted Towhee 4 Blackpoll Warbler 3 Brown Thrasher 3 Northern Waterthrush 3 Red-winged Blackbird 3 Cedar Waxwing 2 American Kestrel 1 Black-and-white Warbler 1 Bell’s Vireo 1 Black-headed Grosbeak 1 Clay-colored Sparrow 1 Chipping Sparrow 1 Downy Woodpeckers 1 Great Crested Flycatcher 1 Gray-cheeked Thrush 1 Hairy Woodpecker 1 Hermit Thrush 1 MacGillivray’s Warbler 1 Mourning Warbler 1 Northern Cardinal 1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 Red-eyed Vireo 1 Veery 1 White-breasted Nuthatch 1 White-throated Sparrow 1 Yellow-breasted Chat 1 Yellow-shafted Flicker 1 Total 337 8

Number of birds banded by species at Fisherman’s Point, spring of 2017

SPECIES NUMBER Yellow Warbler 33 Least Flycatcher 23 Swainson's Thrush 17 House Wren 15 Traill's Flycatcher 15 Common Yellowthroat 9 Gray Catbird 8 Myrtle Warbler 6 Orange-crowned Warbler 6 Orchard Oriole 6 Clay-colored Sparrow 5 Warbling Vireo 5 Baltimore Oriole 4 Brown-headed Cowbird 4 Red-eyed Vireo 4 Blackpoll Warbler 3 Brown Thrasher 3 American Goldfinch 2 American Robin 2 Black-headed Grosbeak 2 Lincoln’s Sparrow 2 Red-winged Blackbird 2 Yellow-breasted Chat 2 American Redstart 1 Bell’s Vireo 1 Chestnut-sided Warbler 1 Downy Woodpecker 1 Eastern Kingbird 1 Gray-cheeked Thrush 1 Lazuli Bunting 1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 Warbler 1 White-breasted Nuthatch 1 Total 189

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Banders: Eileen Dowd Stukel, Silka Kempema, and Casey Heimerl. U.S.G.S. Banding Permit #21966.

Acknowledgements:

This activity is supported by Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program Project W-95-R-51, Study 9509-IV and matching funds from SDGFP, Wildlife Division.

The following assisted with bird banding during the spring of 2017:

Doug Backlund Pat Buscher Steven Feagler Taylor Makeshine Kathy Mehls Ricky Olson Brian Pauly Jordan Purintun Travis Runia Alex Solem Maya and Heidi

Figures prepared by Casey Heimerl.

Photos by Eileen Dowd Stukel, Casey Heimerl, and Silka Kempema.

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Bird banding update for fall of 2017 Farm Island and Oahe Downstream, South Dakota

South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks’ Wildlife Diversity Program staff band birds during the peak of spring and fall migration at two sites in central South Dakota. The Farm Island State Recreation Area site was established in 1993. The Oahe Downstream Recreation Area site (called Fisherman’s Point) was added in 2004. With the exception of 2011 and the spring of 2012, when extreme flooding prevented access to the sites, we have banded at both sites since their establishment.

Species: Orange-crowned Warblers and Ruby-crowned Kinglets were the most commonly banded species at both sites during this banding season.

Top 10 Species Banded at Farm Island Fall 2017 120

100 80 60 40 Number Banded Number 20 0

Top 9 Species Banded at Fisherman's Point Fall 2017 120

100 80 60 40

Number Banded Number 20 0

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Families: Warblers, sparrows and kinglets dominated Farm Island captures. The most commonly captured bird families at Fisherman’s Point were warblers, kinglets and thrushes. The Farm Island banding area provides more open habitats more likely to attract sparrows.

Bird Familes Banded at Farm Island - Fall 2017 Other (<1% of total Flycatchers Banded) Vireos 5% 3% Thrushes 5% 6%

Catbirds 5% Warblers 52%

Kinglets 8% Sparrows 16%

Bird Families Banded at Fisherman's Point - Fall 2017 Other (<1% total banded) Mimids Vireos Catbirds 4% 4% 2% 2% Sparrows 4% Thrushes 6% Kinglets 14% Warblers 64%

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Capture rates at Farm Island and Fisherman's Point - Fall 2017 3.00

2.50

2.00 Farm Island 1.50 Fish Pt 1.00

0.50 Capture Rate (birds/net hour) (birds/net Rate Capture 0.00 1-Oct 3-Oct 5-Oct 7-Oct 9-Oct 1-Sep 3-Sep 5-Sep 7-Sep 9-Sep 11-Oct 13-Oct 11-Sep 13-Sep 15-Sep 17-Sep 19-Sep 21-Sep 23-Sep 25-Sep 27-Sep 29-Sep 30-Aug

Capture rates: The capture rate (number of birds per net hour) at Farm Island peaked on September 22, 2017, with a value of 2.43 birds/net hour. Fisherman’s Point’s peak also occurred on September 22 with 1.73 birds/net hour, with a secondary peak of 1.50 birds/net hour on September 25.

In all, we banded 703 birds during the fall of 2017; 450 birds at Farm Island of 46 species and 253 birds at Fisherman’s Point of 26 species and 1 hybrid.

Recaptures: We recaptured 20 birds. All were birds we originally banded at the site of recapture.

When banded Farm Island Fisherman’s Point fall 2017 3 8 spring 2017 4 1 fall 2016 1 spring 2016 1 1 fall 2015 spring 2015 1 TOTAL 10 10

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Banding Highlights:

Our banding sites in central South Dakota offer the possibility of encountering hybrids between eastern and western species, subspecies or races. This bird was banded at Fisherman’s Point on September 25, 2017 and is presumed to be a hybrid resulting from a pairing of Audubon’s and Myrtle subspecies of the Yellow-rumped Warbler.

The Yellow-bellied Flycatcher is less commonly banded at our sites than Least or Traill’s (Alder or Willow) flycatchers. We banded this bird at Farm Island on September 11, 2017. It was only the 6th individual of this species banded at either site.

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The Fox Sparrow is a relatively uncommon bird banded at our sites. Two individuals were banded at Farm Island during the fall of 2017. The red color throughout indicates that they are from the taiga population.

In addition to several plumage characteristics, eye color can help determine age in the Spotted Towhee. Young birds, such as the male on the right, have an iris colored gray-brown to dull red. The female on the left is at least one year old, based on her bright red iris. 5

Number of birds banded by species at Farm Island, fall of 2017

Species Number Banded Orange-crowned Warbler 113 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 37 Common Yellowthroat 31 Gray Catbird 25 Song Sparrow 22 Yellow Warbler 22 Swainson's Thrush 20 Wilson's Warbler 19 Lincoln's Sparrow 14 Traill's Flycatcher 13 Myrtle Warbler 11 11 Warbling Vireo 11 Swamp Sparrow 10 Red-eyed Vireo 8 Brown Thrasher 7 Least Flycatcher 7 Ovenbird 7 American Redstart 6 Slate-colored Junco 6 White-throated Sparrow 6 American Robin 5 Field Sparrow 4 Spotted Towhee 4 Bell’s Vireo 3 Clay-colored Sparrow 3 House Wren 3 Fox Sparrow 2 Northern Waterthrush 2 Yellow-breasted Chat 2 Blackpoll Warbler 2 Black-and-white Warbler 1 Black-capped Chickadee 1 Blue Jay 1 Indigo Bunting 1 Magnolia Warbler 1 Marsh Wren 1 Mourning Warbler 1 Northern Cardinal 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 Tennessee Warbler 1 White-breasted Nuthatch 1 White-crowned Sparrow 1 Western Palm Warbler 1 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 1 TOTAL 450

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Number of birds banded by species at Fisherman’s Point, fall of 2017

Species Number Banded Orange-crowned Warbler 113 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 35 Myrtle Warbler 27 Swainson's Thrush 13 Wilson's Warbler 12 Gray Catbird 9 Brown Thrasher 6 White-throated Sparrow 6 Red-eyed Vireo 5 American Robin 3 Black-capped Chickadee 3 Yellow Warbler 3 House Wren 2 Spotted Towhee 2 Traill’s Flycatcher 2 American Redstart 1 Black-and-white Warbler 1 Downy Woodpecker 1 Hybrid Warbler 1 Lincoln’s Sparrow 1 Northern Cardinal 1 Ovenbird 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Song Sparrow 1 Tennessee Warbler 1 Warbling Vireo 1 Yellow-shafted Flicker 1 TOTAL 253

The pointed outer tail feathers of this White-throated Sparrow indicate that it is a hatch-year bird, meaning it was hatched during 2017 and making its first southward migration.

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Banders: Eileen Dowd Stukel, Silka Kempema, and Casey Heimerl. U.S.G.S. Banding Permit #21966.

Acknowledgements:

This activity is supported by Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program Project W-95-R-51, Study 9509-IV and matching funds from SDGFP, Wildlife Division.

The following assisted with bird banding during the fall of 2017:

Doug Backlund Charlie Bessken Matea Djokic Taylor Makeshine Robert Sloss Annika Whitcomb Maya

Figures prepared by Casey Heimerl.

Photos by Eileen Dowd Stukel and Casey Heimerl

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