Concern Shared

DU’s concern about the pintail is shared by many other organizations. In March 2001, waterfowl researchers and managers from across North America gathered in California for a Northern Pintail Workshop called to assess our current understanding of pintail biology and population status, to explore possible explanations for the continued poor status of pintails, and to discuss appropriate management and research actions. A strong consensus emerged from the workshop that it is of paramount importance to improve pintail breeding success on their prairie breeding grounds. The management strategies in DU's Pintail Initiative were agreed upon by the conservation world as an important component of the overall conservation plan for continental pintail populations. While improving breeding success is pivotal, at the same time, it is important to remain vigilant about protecting habitat on key wintering and migration areas. Fortunately, conservation efforts in places such as the Central Valley of California over the last decade have already done much to improve conditions for wintering pintails in the Pacific Flyway.

At the same meeting the idea of forming a group that could keep the pintail issue on the “front burner” was generated. Over the course of the next year a proposal for a “Pintail Action Group” was developed and in August 2003, the international North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) Committee endorsed the idea and the “Pintail Action Group” (PAG) became a reality. PAG representatives from Mexico, the Canadian Wildlife Service, United States Geological Survey, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Ducks Unlimited, state agencies and academic institutions reflect the pintail’s wide range, spanning from the Arctic to just shy of the equator. The PAG’s primary mandate is to advocate and support planning, co-ordination, and evaluation of northern pintail management and research actions among the NAWMP Joint Ventures, Flyways, government agencies, and other organizations. The group held its first meeting in November 2003 in a mood of high energy, determination and enthusiasm for the job ahead.

Female 208 eventually did hatch and I had the opportunity to watch her and her brood for the rest of that summer. Although scientists are supposed to remain completely objective and unattached to their subjects, we often develop a fondness for our birds, particularly when they are individually marked, allowing us to recognize them and glimpse into their daily lives. So at the end of that summer, when I was making my last telemetry round, it was with some reservation that I bid farewell to pintail 208, knowing that she and others like her have a challenging future ahead of them. Despite the uncertain future, I am reassured by the fact that Ducks Unlimited, and other concerned agencies and individuals, are working harder than ever to insure that the pintail does not meet the same fate as many coalmine canaries.

<< Page 4: Find Workable Solutions