Hunt out wetlands to see migrating ducks

As days shorten and nightly temperatures drop, the southbound bird migration is under way. Confusing fall warblers befuddle even skilled birders, but wetlands and waterways provide great birding opportunities each fall. Ducks are on the move.

Continental duck numbers fluctuate from year to year and decade to decade, primarily due to one factor — precipitation. Winter snowfall and spring rains recharge ponds and potholes across the northern Great Plains and the northern boreal forest, the areas where the vast majority of North American ducks nest.

The 2006 Waterfowl Breeding Ground Population and Habitat Survey estimated a total duck population of 36 million, a 14 percent increase from 2005’s estimate and nine percent above the 1955-2005 average. This spring the population estimate jumped to 41.2 million, a 14 percent increase over 2006.

To appreciate the significance of these numbers, consider the state of duck populations in 1994. That year the spring survey counted 32.5 million ducks. And that was a 25 percent increase over the estimates from the previous year.

The simple explanation for growing duck populations is that nesting grounds have been wet. From Nebraska north through the Dakotas and into Canada’s prairie provinces, millions of ponds, or prairie potholes as they’re locally known, dot the landscape. Because this region of North America produces so many ducks, wildlife biologists call it the “duck factory.”

Varieties

Mallards, wigeons, gadwalls, green-winged and blue-winged teal, shovelers, canvasbacks, redheads and ruddy ducks return each spring to nest in the prairie habitat that surrounds the potholes. To the north in the boreal forest that stretches from coast to coast in Canada, ring-necked ducks, scaups, buffleheads, goldeneyes and all three species of mergansers predominate.

A third group, the sea ducks, winters along the coasts and nest in the tundra of the far north, the boreal forest, or at higher elevations. Eiders, scoters, long-tailed ducks (formerly called oldsquaws), and harlequin ducks make up this group.

Two common species, the wood duck and black duck, are conspicuously absent from the first three groups I’ve described. Wood ducks nest in wooded swamps in the eastern half of North America. Black ducks, easily confused with hen mallards, prefer small wetlands in the northeastern quadrant of North America.

Because ducks generally breed in the north and winter in the south, fall is a great time for birders to locate migrating waterfowl. For the next six weeks, ducks will be heading south, and any species can show up just about anywhere. Along the way, they stop at a variety of wetlands to rest and feed. Birders looking to add ducks to their life lists or those who just enjoy watching large gathering of birds will find marshes and lakes are the best places to discover migrating ducks.

How to help

To support the conservation of ducks and other wetland wildlife, the public has two simple options. First, buy a duck stamp. A bargain at $15, duck stamps are required of all migratory bird hunters. But anyone can buy a duck stamp and know that the money is used to buy, lease and preserve wetlands all across the U.S.

Available at larger post offices, duck stamp funds are used to buy land for the National Wildlife Refuge System. Since its inception in 1934, this fund has processed more than $670 million and purchased or leased nearly 5.2 million acres of valuable wetlands.

Furthermore, ducks are just one of many wildlife species that benefit each time a duck stamp is sold. Wetlands provide critical habitat for many protected nongame and endangered species as well.

Perhaps this is why the official name of the duck stamp is the “Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp.” Duck stamps work for all wildlife and all groups interested in wildlife, not just ducks and hunters. If you’ve ever birded, hiked or photographed wildlife at a refuge, you did it courtesy of the duck stamp program.

Another way to promote waterfowl conservation is to support Ducks Unlimited (www.ducks.org). The single-minded vision of this international membership organization is, “wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever” through conservation, restoration, and management of wetlands and associated habitats for North America’s waterfowl.

XSend questions and comments to Dr. Scott Shalaway, R.D. 5, Cameron, WV 26033 or via e-mail to sshalaway@aol.com.