Syringa
Deceased: shot illegally May 2017
Alpha Flag Code:
JK
Capture date:
5-7-16 and 5-2-17
Sex:
Female
Location:
Idaho Army National Guard Orchard Combat Training Center, south of the Boise Airport
Namesake:
Syringa was the top name choice for a female curlew in a naming contest held among Idaho schoolchildren. Mrs. Wilson’s 4th grade class at Adam’s Elementary chose this beautiful name because it is the state flower of Idaho!
After tracking her for a year (and her mate for only a few months) we were sad to report that our female curlew, Syringa, who was named after Idaho’s state flower by 4th graders at Adams Elementary, and her mate, KJ, were found dead on their breeding grounds on the Orchard Combat Training Center in 2017. The carcasses of this mated pair had been found just weeks apart in the same general area. This event likely lead to the death of their newly hatched chicks that were left unprotected. Necropsy results confirmed that both curlews had been shot.
This pair lived in an area where open shooting is allowed. Many law-abiding citizens visit these areas for target practice or ground squirrel hunting. Unfortunately, not everyone obeys the law. Although shooting of curlews (and other protected bird species) is illegal, we continue to see this happen in these desert areas with lots of human activity. We’re working with Idaho Bird Conservation Partnership, shooter groups, and partners like the Idaho Varmint Hunters, Inc. to help spread the word.