Providing Homes With Character

by Tim Shelton, Wildlife Biologist, IDFG, Southwest Region Outdoor enthusiasts who have spent any time on the Snake and Payette Rivers have probably spotted a number of wood duck boxes and goose nesting platforms. These cozy homes for our local waterfowl seem to be everywhere. Actually, about 1,000 nesting structures are located along the rivers, reservoirs and islands in Southwestern Idaho. These structures, filled with shredded and chipped bark, provide comfortable homes for waterfowl and their offspring. It's a common misconception that these nesting structures are installed and forgotten. The reason for this may be their weathered appearance. However, older structures that have that "lived-in look" are very attractive to waterfowl; these birds apparently like older homes with some character. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game's annual project of cleaning and maintaining these nesting structures has recently been updated thanks to modern technology. Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are being used to map all existing nest boxes and platforms. Not only will the GPS data base help to locate structures in the future, but will also help determine where additional nesting structures are needed. In 2005, on the lower Payette and Snake Rivers, more than 600 nesting structures were mapped and maintained (about 300 on each river). Fish and Game staff and dozens of community volunteers help with this project each year. The annual task of cleaning and repairing these structures can be an exciting one, especially when a screech owl grabs your finger, or a resident squirrel runs out and takes a shortcut across your shoulders. Because of the limited number of natural nesting cavities along our waterways, wood duck boxes have proven very popular to a wide variety of wildlife. Wood ducks use about 50 percent of the structures which help to maintain and bolster a healthy population of wood ducks in Southwestern Idaho. Other wildlife use the boxes also, including screech owls, American kestrels, eastern fox squirrels and mink. In total, more than 90 percent of the boxes are used by some type of wildlife. Goose-nesting platforms have better than a 90 percent utilization rate by geese. The true value of these platforms comes when rivers flood during spring run off. Most geese have established a nest by April 15, and a typical nest will have five to six eggs, with 100 nests yielding about 550 eggs. Geese nesting on the ground are often flooded out by spring flows, with platform- nesting geese often being the only flood survivors. While these man-made nesting structures have proven beneficial to some wildlife species, other human-caused problems have also cropped up. River use is a reflection of the growth in the valley's human population. As more people use the river, it's becoming apparent that nesting birds are being disturbed, causing them to abandon their nests. During spring, when cabin fever rages, huge numbers of people are engaging in outdoor activities such as fishing, dog training and boating. Done improperly, these activities can disturb nesting birds, resulting in lower production rates. Most Canada geese hatch their young by May 10, while wood ducks will nest until July 31. River users should avoid walking near a nesting structure during the critical period from March 1 to July 31. If all of us using the great outdoors would be a bit more aware that this time of year is critical for many wildlife species, we would have more birds to enjoy later. Waterfowl are a wonderful natural resource, and thanks in part to the installation of nest boxes and platforms, wood ducks and Canada geese will continue to flourish along the Payette and Snake Rivers, providing viewing and hunting enjoyment for future generations.