In 1964, current Wildlife Bureau chief Richard Bishop, and Ingham Management Unit biologist Ron Howing, initiated a program to restore giant Canada geese to their former nesting range throughout Iowa.  Thirty years ago, an Iowa homegrown goose was unheard of.  Today, we live in the bounty of these biologist’s efforts that began with 16 pairs of giant Canada geese in 1964.  The Wildlife Bureau’s estimate of giant Canada goose numbers breeding in Iowa has averaged just over 40,000 birds the each of last three years.  In late summer these birds, combined with their offspring, will provide Iowans with a much valued fall flight of approximately 75,000 Iowa giant geese.

Seeing the abundant numbers of geese we have today, one might think that the Wildlife Bureau could allow more taking of geese and reduce its monitoring efforts of this once scare resource; however, the opposite is actually true.  With a goose population that so interests it’s citizens, and which provides multiple benefits to Iowa, the Wildlife Bureau must now insure that the geese are sustained.  Thus management activities such as banding remain as important as they have ever been both in Iowa and nationally.

Banding plays an important role in identifying and managing multiple populations of Canada geese and in protecting subpopulations from over-harvest.  As recently as 1994, lapses in banding efforts in the Atlantic Flyway disguised a decreasing population of migratory Canada geese that were important to people from Quebec to Maryland.  Because of poor monitoring, hunting regulations were not adjusted promptly when bird numbers dropped and the hunting season had to be closed entirely for three years to allow the population to recover. 

Through the use of aluminum leg bands, colored plastic neck collars and other survey techniques, the Wildlife Bureau monitors hunter harvest of geese and other characteristics of goose populations such as: survival rates, movement patterns, nesting success and population growth rates.  This monitoring allows the timely manipulation of hunting regulations and seasons in ways that maximize benefits and conserve the resource at the same time.  Without banding information, it would be too easy to jeopardize the considerable aesthetic, economic and recreational gains that now benefit Iowans. 

As the dog days of summer approach each year, Wildlife Biologists in Iowa spend the last two weeks of June working as herding dogs as part of annual goose banding and marking efforts.  During this two-week period, geese become flightless as they replace their flight feathers.  Biologists take advantage of this predicament of the geese to capture and mark large numbers of geese relatively easily.  On average, the Iowa DNR’s Wildlife Bureau bands 4,000 – 4,500 geese per year during these two weeks.

To capture the birds, biologists first erect a fence which serves as a funnel into a small corral at a capture site. Biologists then take to the water in small boats or canoes and slowly drive birds up the bank and into the corral.  Penned birds are then examined individually to determine their sex and age.  After this information is recorded, a numbered metal band (or ring) is placed around one of the bird’s legs and the bird is released to go its way. 

That’s how geese are banded, but of course what’s really important is what the Bureau learns from their banding efforts.  It’s a matter of chance whether any additional information is obtained about a bird.  At some later time, perhaps even 20 years later, a hunter or other individual may recover the bird and report the band number.  In general, more than half of the geese banded in Iowa are recovered and reported in the first 2-3 years after banding.  Hunters can help wildlife managers make timely management decisions by reporting banded geese they shoot promptly.

For additional information regarding the banding of geese and other birds visit the USGS Birding Banding Laboratory web site:  http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov.

To report bands by telephone call: 1-800-327-2263.

For further information regarding the goose banding efforts of the IDNR Wildlife Bureau interested persons should contact the Clear Lake Wildlife Research Station (515) 357-3517 or the Wildlife Biologist in their Management Unit.

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