----

----

The Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge hosted the annual Woodcock Wingbee this year.  The Woodcock Wingbee is an event where hunter-submited American woodcock wings are analyzed to determine the age and sex of each wing.  This provides information to the Service on recruitment of immature woodcock and the ratio of male to female woodcock in the two flyways.  This is one way to examine the health of the woodcock population in the Central and Eastern flyways.  

A total of 19 State and Federal biologists from more than 7 states traveled to the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge for three intensive days of wing aging and sexing.  Refuge staff also participated in the event, providing alternative experience to staff in all program areas. Over 13,600 wings were processed during the three work days in the refuge's new maintenance facility.