My First Banded Duck

A couple weeks ago I got a banded mallard. This means that someone caught the duck and put a metal band around its leg. If a hunter gets on of these banded ducks they are supposed to call the band in to the USGS. It provides valuable information about the migration patterns and age of birds. Anyway.... To a duck hunter getting a banded duck is like winning the lottery. There are not that many banded birds out there and some people that have huntere their entire life never get one. Needless to say I was excited. I took the duck to the taxidermist and I should have him back in a few more weeks. I plan to put him in my office. Below is the certificate I got back from the USGS. The duck was banded in 2002 and it was hatched in 2001 or proir. That means that he was at least 6 years old. He was banded in Montana. Since ducks are migratory that means that he has flown back and forth for 6 years and covered thousands and thousands of miles. Pretty cool eh..