Breeding Duck Populations for 2001

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Waterfowl Population Study for 2001
courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

For the second straight year, breeding duck populations declined from the record high reached in 1999, as dry habitat conditions in western Canada and the northwestern U.S. likely contributed to a slightly lower population of breeding ducks this spring, according to preliminary results from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's annual spring aerial surveys.

The total population of breeding ducks found by aerial surveys in traditional survey areas in Canada and the northern United States fell to approximately 36.1 million birds. That number represents a decline of nearly 14 percent from last year's index of 41.8 million birds, but is still 9 percent above the long term average breeding population since surveys began in 1955.

"After five years of steady increases leading up to the record 1999 season, most duck populations remain healthy but have begun to fall back in line with historic averages. A significant factor contributing to the recent
stability is the progress we've made in stemming the rate of wetland loss and restoring and enhancing wetlands across the country," said acting Service Director Marshall Jones. A January 2001 Service report shows the annual rate of wetlands loss has slowed by 80 percent since the late 1970s.

Breeding populations of mallards fell 17 percent from 2000 levels to 7.9 million, a level comparable to their long-term average. Blue-winged teal numbers, at 5.8 million, declined 23 percent from 2000 levels, but remained 29 percent greater than their long-term average. Green-winged teal (2.5 million, down 21 percent from 2000), and northern shoveler (3.3 million, down 6 percent) populations remained above their long-term averages, while American wigeon (2.5 million, down 9 percent), redhead (712,000, down 23 percent), and canvasback (580,000, down 18 percent) populations were similar to their long-term averages.

The Service remains concerned about the continuing decline of canvasback populations which have been trending downward since 1996.

Scaup numbers, at 3.7 million birds, declined nearly 8 percent from 2000 levels and remain 31 percent below their long-term average. The northern pintail population of 3.3 million was slightly above the 2000 level, but numbers also remain well below historic averages.

Annual breeding population, habitat and production surveys, combined with mid-winter population counts and waterfowl hunting harvest surveys, help guide the Service's waterfowl conservation programs under authority of the 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The Service works in partnership with state representatives from the four flyways - the Atlantic, Mississippi, Central
and Pacific - that waterfowl and other birds use during their migrations, to establish regulatory frameworks on waterfowl hunting season lengths, dates and bag limits.

According to preliminary estimates of waterfowl harvest and hunter activity gathered during the 2000-2001 season through the National Waterfowl Harvest Survey, hunters harvested a total of nearly 15.3 million ducks last season, a 4 percent decrease from the previous season. Persons buying duck stamps for hunting averaged slightly more than 8 days afield and harvested an average of approximately 9 ducks, down 5 percent from the previous season's level. Migratory bird hunters purchased nearly 1.7 million duck stamps last season, an increase of 1 percent, contributing nearly $25 million for habitat restoration and conservation activities.

As is customary, mallards comprised the largest number of ducks harvested at 37 percent of the preliminary total, with gadwalls making up 13 percent, green-wing teal 11 percent, wood duck 9 percent and blue-winged teal 7 percent of the total harvest, to round out the top five species.

Waterfowl depend on marshes, ponds and other wetlands to reproduce successfully, and overall habitat conditions were largely good across the traditional survey area in the spring of 2001. Average to above-average waterfowl production is expected. In a positive sign, the traditional May survey of ponds in the northern U.S. and prairie Canada was up 18 percent, although not statistically different from its historic average.

Continued drought produced fair-to-poor conditions in most of Alberta, central and southern Saskatchewan and western Montana. By contrast, the Dakotas generally had good-to-excellent water conditions, with the best conditions in the eastern parts of those states. Southern Manitoba and extreme southeastern Saskatchewan experienced above-average water conditions and abundant rainfall this year, producing excellent habitat conditions. Northern Alberta and Saskatchewan were the exception to generally poor habitat conditions in those provinces, as above-average winter and spring precipitation filled nearly all available wetland basins.

Good conditions for breeding ducks prevailed in most of the Northwest Territories, while in Alaska, a late spring likely means that waterfowl production will be below average to the north and west, and average to the south and east.

The traditional breeding duck survey samples 1.3 million square miles across the north-central United States, western and northern Canada and Alaska and estimates the numbers of ducks in important breeding areas.

Habitat conditions in the eastern survey area, which are not part of the traditional survey area, were variable but generally good, with average to above-average waterfowl production expected. Southern Ontario and northern New York enjoyed an early spring, and with wetland basins nearly full, the outlook for breeding ducks is good. Spring was also early in Quebec, with good to excellent habitat in the central and northern portions. However, southern Quebec was drier, and conditions there ranged from fair to poor. In Maine and the Maritime provinces spring was late, with lower than normal temperatures, but above-average precipitation, and habitat conditions were rated good throughout the region.

Total breeding duck populations in the eastern survey areas were up 4 percent from 2000 levels at about 3.3 million birds. Populations of mallards (up 35 percent), American wigeon (up 86 percent), lesser scaup (up 75 percent) and buffleheads (up 93 percent) saw dramatic increases, while ring-necked duck populations declined by 43 percent over 2000 levels in the eastern area. Other individual species in the eastern survey areas were largely unchanged from last year.

The Service administers or participates in a number of programs to conserve and restore waterfowl habitat. For example, the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, an international partnership effort, has protected, restored, or enhanced more than 5 million acres of wetland habitat since 1988. The Service's Federal Aid program collects a federal excise tax on hunting equipment and ammunition and distributed some $204 million to State agencies in 2000 to support wildlife management programs, the purchase of wildlife habitat, and hunter education and safety classes. The Service also works actively with private landowners to restore waterfowl and other wildlife habitat through the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program.

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