Bird banding update for spring of 2018 - Farm Island and Oahe Downstream, South Dakota - South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks
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Bird banding update for spring of 2018
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
in this report and also called Diver’s Point by local users) 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: Species most commonly banded at both sites during this banding season were Swainson’s
Thrush, Yellow Warbler, Traill’s Flycatcher, and House Wren.
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Families: Warblers, thrushes, and flycatchers dominated Farm Island captures during this season.
The most commonly captured bird families at Fisherman’s Point were warblers, mimids (Gray
Catbird), and smaller, relatively equal percentages of blackbirds/orioles, thrushes, and wrens.
Other (
Capture Rates at Farm Island and
Fisherman's Point
1.200
Capture Rate (Birds/Net Hour)
1.000
0.800
Farm Island
0.600 Fish Point
0.400
0.200
0.000
17-Apr 24-Apr 01-May 08-May 15-May 22-May 29-May
Capture rates: The capture rate (number of birds per net hour) at Farm Island peaked on May 22,
2018, with a value of 1.11 birds/net hour. Fisherman’s Point’s peak occurred on May 20, 2018, with
1.13 birds/net hour.
In all, we banded 541 birds during the spring of 2018; 429
birds at Farm Island of 50 species and an intergrade
(between Yellow-shafted and Red-shafted flickers) and 112
birds at Fisherman’s Point of 27 species.
Recaptures: We had 85 unique recaptures during the spring of 2018. A unique recapture is the first
capture that season of a previously-banded bird. Subsequent recaptures of such birds during this
spring were not included in this summary. All were birds we originally banded at the site of recapture.
The recapture from the spring of 2014 was a female Orchard Oriole banded at Fisherman’s Point on
May 27, 2014 as a second-year aged bird. She was also recaptured on May 24, 2016 at Fisherman’s
Point, strongly suggesting that this is her nesting area.
When banded Farm Island Fisherman’s Point
spring 2018 20 10
fall 2017 4 0
spring 2017 20 10
fall 2016 4 1
spring 2016 7 2
fall 2015 1 0
spring 2015 2 2
fall 2014 1 0
spring 2014 0 1
TOTAL 59 26
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Banding Highlights:
We have previously discussed the opportunity our banding sites offer to encounter hybrids or
intergrades between eastern and western species, subspecies, or races. The Northern Flicker has
two forms. The Red-shafted Flicker is the western form of the Northern Flicker, and the Yellow-
shafted Flicker is considered the eastern form of this species. Central South Dakota has both forms
and intergrades between the two. During the spring 2018 banding season at Farm Island, we banded
both a Red-shafted Flicker male (center) and a Flicker Intergrade (lower two images).
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The Philadelphia Vireo pictured below was banded at Farm Island on June 1, 2018, only the 11th
individual of this species banded at either of our sites. This species has a dark crown, dark lores
(feathers between the eye and bill), a yellow throat, dark flight feathers, and a relatively short tail.
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Spring American Redstarts may be adult females, adult males, or first-summer males. A first summer
(yearling) male may resemble a male or female. His head and throat often have black splotches, and
the sides of his body may be salmon-colored rather than yellow like a female. Although capable of
breeding, a yearling male is less likely to attract a female than an adult male with red-and-black
plumage.
First-spring male American Redstarts. Adult male (left) and adult female (right)
The American Redstart’s tail pattern looks like the letter “T.”
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Number of birds banded by species at Farm Island, spring of 2018
Species Number Banded
Swainson's Thrush 82
Least Flycatcher 41
Yellow Warbler 39
Traill's Flycatcher 35
Orange-crowned Warbler 31
Common Yellowthroat 28
American Redstart 18
House Wren 12
Red-winged Blackbird 11
American Goldfinch 8
Northern Waterthrush 8
Bell’s Vireo 7
Common Grackle 7
Red-eyed Vireo 7
Song Sparrow 7
Brown-headed Cowbird 6
Cedar Waxwing 6
Warbling Vireo 6
Lincoln’s Sparrow 5
White-crowned Sparrow 5
Black-capped Chickadee 4
Blackpoll Warbler 4
Gray Catbird 4
Northern Cardinal 4
American Robin 3
Black-headed Grosbeak 3
Downy Woodpecker 3
Mourning Warbler 3
Myrtle Warbler (Yellow-rumped) 3
Spotted Towhee 3
Brown Thrasher 2
Great Crested Flycatcher 2
Ovenbird 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
Chipping Sparrow 1
Flicker Intergrade 1
Gray-cheeked Thrush 1
Hairy Woodpecker 1
MacGillivray’s Warbler 1
Philadelphia Vireo 1
Pine Siskin 1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Red-shafted Flicker 1
Slate-colored Junco 1
Veery 1
Wilson’s Warbler 1
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White-throated Sparrow 1
Yellow-breasted Chat 1
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 1
TOTAL 429
Red-eyed Vireo
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Number of birds banded by species at Fisherman’s Point, spring of 2018
Species Number Banded
Yellow Warbler 25
Gray Catbird 10
Swainson's Thrush 10
Common Yellowthroat 9
House Wren 9
Baltimore Oriole 8
Pine Siskin 5
American Robin 4
Myrtle Warbler 4
Traill's Flycatcher 4
Black-headed Grosbeak 3
Least Flycatcher 3
Orange-crowned Warbler 3
Orchard Oriole 2
American Goldfinch 1
Chipping Sparrow 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Lincoln’s Sparrow 1
Magnolia Warbler 1
Mourning Warbler 1
Northern Waterthrush 1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1
Red-winged Blackbird 1
Spotted Towhee 1
Tennessee Warbler 1
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
TOTAL 112
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 2018:
Doug Backlund
Travis Runia
Lorna Wright
Maya
Figures prepared by Casey Heimerl.
Photos by Eileen Dowd Stukel, Casey Heimerl and Kenny Miller.
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