Syracuse.com - Video: Black duck banding at Cayuga Lake State Park

[HuntingNY-News]

Black ducks used to be the most common duck in this state. No more. Researchers are trying to find out exactly why and what can be done to increase their numbers. Watch video

I attended a black duck banding session Wednesday morning over at Cayuga Lake State Park. The banding, which began Jan. 10 and goes through mid-March, is a joint effort between state Department of Environmental Conservation and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff from the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge. It is part of much bigger, 5-year pilot program that involves the Canadians and efforts in more than a half dozen other states.

Black ducks used to be the most common duck in this state. No more. Researchers are trying to find out exactly why and what can be done to increase their numbers. Getting data through banding efforts is a key tool in the effort.

Six black ducks were trapped Wednesday and one mallard. Members of the CNY Wildfowlers were on hand to help. For more on this, see the Outdoors Page in Sunday's edition of The Post-Standard.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog