Bird swap to take flight

Plans are underway to introduce a non-native bird species to North Idaho: the cardinal.

“The plan has undergone two community listening sessions, and a well-attended Facebook poll,” said Scott "Kingfisher" Kestrel, Idaho Fish and Game regional avian logistics coordinator. “It’s been very well received. People recognize the value in both ecosystem alignment and brand consistency.”

North Idaho College’s team mascot, the Cardinals, has long been an odd fit for the region, where cardinals are not native. The name was chosen in 1939 in a student competition to select a new mascot. The NIC Cardinals were the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, which was having a good year in 1939.

The plan is to release 100,000 cardinals, imported from California, in phases from helicopters into the wilds of North Idaho. Some of the birds would be caught in the wild, mostly darted and trapped, while others would be raised on cardinal farms. 

The birds will be tranquilized beforehand but should wake up in the air, Kestrel said.

“There’s a reason why cardinals as a mascot are in such high demand. Those little guys are fighters,” he said.

The plan is twofold. The Gem State has many eagles that congregate to feed on kokanee spawning in Lake Coeur d’Alene. Kestrel said the eagles' predictable routine makes for a perfect opportunity to dart and net the majestic birds. He predicts they should be able to haul in a high number of eagles and ship them to California.

“California has given North Idaho so much over the years that we want to be able to make this a fair trade. We’re still negotiating. We’re currently at three cardinals per eagle, though California has countered at eight-to-one plus a conditional hawk,” he said

Negotiations with California officials are in the final stages, with a target start date of May for catching cardinals. Kestrel said everything has been cleared and is ready to go, with the idea being thoroughly rated and vetted by the 

See CARDINALS,  A11