Historic, archived document Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. wd ie rou iW U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE NATIONA! AnAIeN = m5) 1 pany MAY 2 0 1964 MIGRATORY GAME BIRD SPECIAL PERMITS For salvage of sick, injured, or oil-soaked migratory game birds for rehabilitation and propagation. GURRENT SERIAL RECORDS For acquisition and propagation of rare and endangered species. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife September 1963 + Wildlife Leaflet 456 CONTENTS Program Ob J ective Ss neivelievine: elite fe) \enienite: Vel her) ey rel ie: e: ce .ie A. B. Sick, injured, or oil-soaked birds. . ....ee. 1. 2. 36 Salvage, capture, and marking procedures. .. Salvage permit requirements . . ....ee««. Permit reporting requirements . . .. « « « « Propagation of rare and endangered species - Cooperative (Eros rams oll calolieile i/eilieliielien eels | 6 selection of cooperators. « « « « « « « « « « Agreement to be signed by cooperators’. ... Rules governing disposition . . . « « « « « e Import-Export permits - rare or endangered species e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e Official list of migratory game birds currently classified as rare or endangered. FF W W er 1 ee ie ' } . : PROGRAM FOR SALVAGING SICK AND WOUNDED MIGRATORY WATERFOWL AND PROPAGATING OTHER MIGRATORY BIRDS CLASSED AS RARE OR ENDANGERED. Program Objectives The Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife has adopted a policy on issuing special permits to encourage the salvage of sick, injured, or oil-soaked migratory game birds for rehabilitation and return to the wild. Aviculturists holding valid propagating permits may retain certain of these salvaged birds for breeding stock. Another type of permit will encourage private propagation of certain migratory game birds of species classed as rare or endangered. These two conservation measures are expected to broaden the cooperation with qualified experienced private aviculturists and substantially benefit migratory game bird populations directly and indirectly. Many birds may be saved which would otherwise perish, foundation stocks of rare or endangered species will be assured for reintroduction into the wild in the event of local catastrophe, and the Bureau's avicultural research will be augmented by the experience and "know how" of dedicated migratory game bird propagators. A. Sick, injured, or oil-soaked birds 1. Salvage, capture, and marking procedures Under this program an aviculturist holding a Federal propagating permit may be issued a special permit to salvage sick, injured, or oil-soaked migratory waterfowl from the wild. The permittee may capture any species of migratory waterfowl manually or with the aid of retrieving dogs at any time, or at any place except on National wildlife refuges, and in accordance with State laws or regulations as indicated in his permit. Firearms may not be carried by the permittee or his helpers when the birds are collected. The special permit specifies how the birds are to be handled and allows the permittee to retain for his own breeding stock 2 birds of each 10 salvaged, but no more than a total of 12 of any species. The remaining birds must be turned over to a U. S. Game Management Agent for disposal when they have recovered. Those birds that fail to recover and die shall be disposed of by burial or burning. 36 Salvaged birds which are not marked so as to clearly distinquish them from other birds held under the permittee's propagating permit must be confined in pens separate and apart from the latter. Distinctly marked birds may be penned with those birds owned by the propagator. Suitable marking can consist of a dab of contrasting paint applied to the bird's back, a tattoo mark on the right foot, or the attachment of a colored leg band. All salvaged birds must be confined at the location described in the special permit until final disposition of the birds is made by a Bureau representative. Salvage permit requirements A special permit will be issued for specific salvage periods up to but not to exceed 6 months. Before this permit is issued the applicant must furnish the following information: (a) Number and expiration date of his Federal propagating permit. (b) Period (starting and closing dates) during which he intends to conduct salvage operations. (c) Location of his proposed salvage effort by county and specific geographic area (if any) of the marsh or water area. (ad) Address of the establishment where salvaged birds will be confined. Permit reporting requirements Within ten (10) days following salvage of birds the permittee must report the number, sex, and species of all birds toa Regional Director of the Bureau. Should sick, injured, or oil- soaked birds of rare or endangered species as periodically defined, be captured under an aviculturist's salvage permit, the capture must be reported immediately to the nearest U. 5S. Game Management Agent or a Bureau regional office. (These birds, their eggs, and descendants are then handled under the rare and endangered migratory game bird propagation program outlined in the following section of this brochure.) Within 30 days following the receipt of the report of salvage a representative of the Regional Director will contact the permittee to arrange for the disposition of the salvaged birds. B. The birds retained by the permittee may not be sold, exchanged, or otherwise disposed of to any other person, except that a permittee who has salvaged a single bird of any particular species, or several birds of the same species and sex, may with written permission from the Regional Director exchange a bird or birds with other permittees to obtain pairs. The permittee may also donate salvaged birds retained by him to public zoological parks. The eggs and progeny of salvaged birds retained by the permittee may be disposed of in the same manner as applies to other birds under his propagating permit and reported under the latter. Propagation of rare or endangered species - Cooperative Program For purposes of classification, the term "rare" pertains to wild North American migratory game birds whose estimated total population is less than 10,000 individuals but whose survival is not in foreseeable jeopardy. In special instances where bird numbers, habitat quantity or quality have declined seriously, populations in excess of 10,000 may also be included in the category. The term "endangered" shall apply to birds whose survival in the wild is seriously threatened. 1. Selection of cooperators The artificial propagation of sufficient quantities of rare and endangered species of birds to bolster existing wild populations, or to reintroduce the species into more favorable environments, or to replace a species suddenly decimated by a natural calamity, appears to be a sound approach to assure their continued existence in the wild. To these ends the Bureau will cooperate with qualified aviculturists by issuing permits and assisting in the acquisition of certain rare or endangered migratory game birds or their eggs for propagating purposes. The basic breeding stock and progeny of rare and endangered species held under permit will remain the property of the Federal Government unless otherwise designated. Permits will be limited to experienced aviculturists selected by the Bureau to complement its own efforts. In implementing this program, the Director of the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife cooperating with the Chief, Canadian Wildlife Service, enlists the aid of national organizations 2. concerned with the welfare of rare and endangered migratory game birds and requests them to designate qualified representatives to give advice on request. These representatives will be solicited from time to time for their recommendations on such matters as: (a) Consideration of species to be listed as rare or endangered. (b) Evaluation of existing management and research efforts, including status studies on rare and endangered species. (c) The number of cooperators needed and the quantity of breeding stock of each species required to fulfill the purposes of this cooperative program. (d) The standards and qualification requirements for candidates desiring to cooperate with the Bureau in propagating rare and endangered species. (e) The techniques and types of facilities most likely to insure successful propagation of stock. (f) Evaluation of qualifications of individual aviculturists being considered for cooperative status on rare and endangered species. Private aviculturists holding valid Federal propagating permits who are recommended by the consultants as qualified to propagate rare or endangered species and who desire to participate will be issued permits by the Director, Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, authorizing the taking from the wild, or otherwise acquiring for propagation purposes, specified wild migratory game birds belonging to species presently classified as rare or endangered. These permits will be effective for 3 years and may be renewed. Agreement to be signed by cooperators The selected aviculturists are bound by the following agreements 3. (a) It is agreed that the eggs or birds, (number, sex, authorized to be in species or subspecies, if known) the custody of » together with (cooperator) their descendants, shall remain the property of the United States under the stewardship of the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife. The original breed- ing stock and their descendants are subject to recall at any time and cannot be disposed of in any manner without the consent of the Bureau. (b) The cooperator agrees to feed and care for such stock and their descendants at no cost to the United States Government. (c) All reasonable precautions will be taken by the cooperator to prevent the birds loaned hereunder, or their descendants, from breeding with other species or subspecies. Hybrids resulting from accidental cross-breeding will be segregated and the Director so advised. (e) If the stock or descendants thereof covered by the agreement are exhibited to the public, a sign briefly relating the conservation history of the species or subspecies and indicating that their display is made in cooperation with the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife shall be placed and maintained on the exhibit enclosure. (f) By January 10 of each year the cooperator will report to the Bureau the number, sex, and species of all stock on hand. In the event of the escape, death, er loss of such stock, the report should also include the number, sex, and species lost. Rules governing disposition Birds belonging to species classified as rare or endangered may not be sold except in unusual instances where a measurable benefit to a rare species will result; this method of dispo- sition may be authorized for surplus progeny of birds in the rare category. Birds surplus to the needs of the individual cooperator may be transferred only with consent of the Bureau to other cooperators authorized under permit to propagate rare and endangered species. Cooperative propagators of rare or endangered species of migratory game birds ordinarily should expect to secure the birds or their eggs at no expense to the Government. The Bureau may, however, advise the permittee where and how certain species may best be obtained, and cooperate in their taking if this can be done conveniently and in conjunction with existing activities. A species may be removed by the Director of the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife from the list of rare or the list of endangered migratory game birds when warranted by improvement in its status. Disposition of all birds of those species hatched and reared in captivity in this country will be determined by the Director. Import-Export permits - rare or endangered species Issuance by the Bureau of a permit to import into the United States rare or endangered native North American species will be contingent upon benefits to the resource from the importation. Also required is the approval of appropriate authorities from the country from which the stock is obtained. Having met these requirements, qualified applicants may be issued permits. Citizens of other countries who desire to export rare and endangered North American species which are collected in the United States must obtain clearances in accordance with the procedure outlined above, but in reverse order. All persons in this category must have valid propagating permits and be thyroughly qualified in avicultural practices. Created in 1849, the Department of the Interior--America's Department of Natural Resources---is concerned with the management, conservation, and development of the Nation's water, wildlife, mineral, forest, and park and recreational resources. It also has major responsibilities for Indian and Territorial affairs. As the Nation's principal conservation agency, the Department works to assure that nonrenewable resources are developed and used Wisely, that park and recreational resources are conserved for the future, and that renewable resources make their full contribution to the progress, prosperity, and security of the United States--- now and in the future. OFFICIAL LIST OF MIGRATORY GAME BIRDS CURRENTLY CLASSIFIED AS RARE OR ENDANGERED RARE SPECIES Anseriformes Trumpeter swan Olor buccinator Giant Canada goose Branta canadensis maxima Hawaiian duck Anas platyrhynchos wyvilliana Laysan duck Anas wyvilliana laysanensis Gruiformes Greater sandhill crane Grus canadensis tabida Florida sandhill crane Grus canadensis pratensis Charadriiformes Hudsonian godwit Limosa haemastica Hawaiian stilt Himantopus himantopus knudseni ENDANGERED SPECIES Anseriformes Tule white-fronted goose Anser albiforns gambelli Aleutian Canada goose Branta canadensis leucopareia Hawaiian goose (Nene) Branta sandvicensis Northern Mexican duck Anas diazi novimexicana Gruiformes Whooping crane Grus americana Hawaiian gallinule Gallinula chloropus sandvichensis Charadriiformes Eksimo curlew Numenius borealis {f INT.DUP.,D.C.63- 36405 sy wey