Migratory Bird Management
The Pacific Southwest Region’s Migratory Bird Program works together with a diversity of partners to assess, manage and conserve migratory bird species and their habitats in California, Nevada and the Klamath Basin of southern Oregon. We collaborate with others to survey, monitor and assess waterfowl, seabirds, waterbirds, shorebirds and landbirds to help conserve migratory bird populations and their habitats. We also issues permits and regulations for states, local governments and individuals to participate in activities such as hunting, scientific research, rehabilitation or injured birds, educations, falconry, and taxidermy
The Service's Migratory Bird Program provides national and international leadership in the conservation and management of migratory birds by promoting, among the Service and its partners, science-based management of both populations and habitat on and off Service lands in support of national and internation bird plans and initiatives.
current topics
- About the Muscovy Duck: The Muscovy duck now occurs naturally in southern Texas, so it has been added to the list of birds protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. This species has been introduced in other areas throughout the U.S. where it is an exotic species, and it is widely raised in captivity for food. To control the spread of Muscovy Ducks in areas outside their natural range, new Service regulations allow for control of feral Muscovy ducks, their nests, and eggs in areas outside their natural range (50 CFR 21.54). Other regulations finalized at the same time as the listing and Control Order that restrict possession of Muscovy Ducks and require a permit to sell captive-bred Muscovy Ducks for food will not be administered at this time because the Service plans to revise those regulations in the near future. Read the fact sheet and the final rule.
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2010 State of the Birds Report on Climate Change: Climate change threatens to imperil hundreds of species of migratory birds already under stress from habitat loss, invasive species and other environmental threats. The report, released March 11, 2010, follows a comprehensive 2009 report showing that nearly a third of the nation's 800 bird species are endangered, threatened or in significant decline. Learn More.
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Bird Species Protected by MBTA Expands to 1,007: On March 1, 2010, the Service announced revisions to the list of bird species protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) Species on this list are governed under migratory bird hunting and permitting regulations concerning most aspects of possession, transportation, sale, purchase, exportation, and importation of protected species. The list, last updated in 1985, incorporates the latest taxonomic and scientific data for migratory birds. The changes include 186 new additions and 11 subtractions, bringing the total number of species protected under the MBTA to 1007. Read the Final Rule from the Federal Register / Questions and Answers.
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2010 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest Comes to California: the David Brower Center in Berkeley, California, will be the site of the 2010 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest October 15-16, 2010. This is the first time in the prestigious contest’s 61 year history that the event has been held in the West. Learn More
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Approved Nontoxic Shot: Service approved an additional shot type, Tungsten-Iron-Fluoropolymer, as nontoxic for hunting waterfowl and coots in October 2009. Read the Final Rule from the Federal Register.
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Bald Eagle Permits: In September 2009, the Service published the final rule on two new permit regulations that will allow the "take" of eagles under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. Read the Final Rule from the Federal Register.
Focal species strategy
In 2005, the Migratory Bird Program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) initiated the Focal Species Strategy to better measure its success in achieving its bird conservation priorities and mandates. The focal species strategy involves campaigns for selected species to provide explicit, strategic, and adaptive sets of conservation actions required to return the species to healthy and sustainable levels.
The Service remains committed to landscape-scale, integrated bird conservation for the full array of species of management concern, but has developed the focal species strategy to provide the increased accountability required from all federal agencies. Campaigns have been launched for a subset of focal species since 2005 and have involved the creation of multi-agency and conservation organization working groups and the development of conservation action plans. Get the
Focal Species Fact Sheet
Focal Species in the Pacific Southwest Region
Black oystercatcher
Tricolored blackbird
Mountain plover
Marbled godwit
Snowy plover (non-listed population)
Long-billed curlew
Gull-billed tern (status assessment being developed)
Sandhill crane
Canada goose
Northern pintail
conservation and management plans
Federal Duck Stamp
What are Duck Stamps? Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps,commonly known as “Duck Stamps,” are pictorialstamps produced by the U.S. Postal Service for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. They are not valid for postage. Originally created in 1934 as the federal licenses required for hunting migratory waterfowl, Federal Duck Stamps have a much larger purpose today. Federal Duck Stamps are a vital tool for wetland conservation. Ninety-eight cents out of every dollar generated by the sales of Federal Duck Stamps goes directly to purchase or lease wetland habitat for protection in the National Wildlife Refuge System. Understandably, the Federal Duck Stamp Program has been called one of the most successful conservation programs ever initiated and is a highly effective way to conserve America’s natural resources.
staff directory
The Migratory Bird Office is located at the Pacific Southwest Regional Office in Sacramento, Calif.
Tel: 916-414-6464.
Marie Strassburger, Regional Migratory Bird Chief
Amedee Brickey, Dep. Regional Migratory Bird Chief
Jennifer Brown, Permit Biologist
Heather Beeler, Permit Biologist - Eagles
Rob Doster, Biologist, Northern California
Chris Nicolai, Biologist, Nevada & Klamath Basin
permits
Under the authority of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Regional Migratory Bird Office issues a variety of migratory bird permits, including authorizing possession of species, live, non-releasable and dead specimens for public wildlife conservation; possession of bald eagle feathers by Native Americans for religious use; captive-breeding of native waterfowl; rehabilitation of injured/orphaned birds and depredation permits when financial loss or health concerns are documented.
Permit Applications
Permit Annual Report Requirements
Birds Protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act
Bald and Golden Eagle Permit Regulations
Joint ventures
Joint Ventures are collaborative, regionally-based partnerships of agencies, non-profit organizations, corporations and Indian tribes that work to implement bird conservation plans within a specific geographic area. Joint Ventures in the Pacific Southwest Region include:
San Francisco Bay Joint Venture
Central Valley Joint Venture
Sonoran Joint Venture
Intermountain West Joint Venture
Education and Outreach
International Migratory Bird Day 2010
2011 State of the Birds Report
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Agriculture Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Harris Sherman recently released the 2011 State of the Birds Report, the nation’s first assessment of birds on lands and waters owned by the American people. The report concludes that America’s public lands and waters, ranging from national wildlife refuges to national parks to national forests, offer significant opportunities to halt or reverse the decline of many species. More than 1,000 bird species inhabit the U.S., 251 of which are federally threatened, endangered, or of conservation concern. The report provides a scientific tool to help public agencies identify the most significant conservation opportunities in each habitat.
2010 State of the Birds Report
Bird Identification / Bird Banding Lab
Bird Publications from the FWS Conservation Library
Partners in Flight
THE GREAT MIGRATION
For thousands of years and countless generations, migratory birds have flown the same long-distance paths between their breeding and feeding grounds. Understanding the routes these birds take, called “flyways,” helps conservation efforts and gives scientists better knowledge of global changes, both natural and man-made. Join us on the Pacific Flyway with California biologists to track the rhythm of migration. (Click arrow to start. Video courtesy KQED public television.)
