MASSENA — This year, the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is not conducting the traditional Wilson Hill Wildlife Management Area (WMA) Canada Goose drive due to changes in banding strategies.

“An important consideration of banding efforts is ensuring that the banded sample of birds are representative of the population,” DEC said.

Every year DEC biologists take to the field to capture and band nearly 4,000 Canada geese throughout the state. Geese and ducks, unlike many other species of birds, have a short 2-3 week period during late June and early July where they lose all their flight feathers. Biologists quickly and safely corral them and place a uniquely numbered aluminum band on their leg before returning them to the waterbody where they were captured.

DEC and other state and federal wildlife agencies then rely on hunters and the general public to report bands when they either harvest the bird or find it dead from some other cause.

This information allows wildlife managers to estimate annual survival, migration routes, and harvest rates to ensure the population is properly managed.

“DEC recognizes the public interest in assisting with goose banding and we intend to evaluate future opportunities for public participation when and where appropriate,” a press release said.

For more information, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baQAjq0NyrM.