# Banded Bluebill with a color marker on its bill? Why??



## Jungda99 (Nov 17, 2006)

This bird was shot the 3rd weekend in october but I have never seen a blinder on a wild bird before.

-- I edited your post so that your pic would show up..
-- Ryan


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## Jungda99 (Nov 17, 2006)

Are you able to view the pic. Anyone know what this might be from?


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## NDJ (Jun 11, 2002)

part of research project.....easier to ID & observe the bill tag.

from a post a few years back:

Researchers from the USGS Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit at Lousiana State University are cooperating with numberous partners to help identify why lesser scaup (bluebills) populations are declining. They are examining whether poor food resources in the upper-midwest are decreasing scaup body condition during spring migration, which could lead to reductions in breeding success. Researchers are trapping, banding, and color-marking lesser scaup on pool 19 of the Mississippi River (near the boarders of Ill., Ia., and Mo.). Scaup will be marked with colored bill markers to be observed along their migration path. By marking scaup with different colors and letters (written on the bill marker), the researchers will be able to establish migratory corridors and rates of movements of scaup across the upper midwest. The researchers are soliciting help from the public to help look for color marked scaup; they will be mailing out an original scaup art print as a reward to participants with confirmed sightings. If you see a color-marked scaup please call 1-800-MINNDNR (1-800-646-6367), and have the following information: 1) your name, address, and phone number, 2) date of sighting, 3)color of bill-marker, 4) letter written on bill-marker (if readable), 5) male or female (if identifiable), and 6) location of sighting (i.e., distance and direction from nearest town or name of lake, county and state or province).

Now is the time to be looking for the birds. Between March 12 and 17, 1086 have been captured and marked near Keokuk, Iowa. Additional birds will be marked while staging in the area this spring.

Can this be made a sticky until after spring migration is over?


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## Jungda99 (Nov 17, 2006)

Thanks for the info


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## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

Sure we can make this a sticky for a couple months...

Ryan


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