Duck numbers up 13 percent

Sat, Jul 4, 2009

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) released its preliminary report earlier this week on mid-continent breeding ducks and habitats, based on surveys conducted in May and early June.

Total duck populations were estimated at 42 million breeding ducks on the surveyed area. This estimate represents a 13 percent increase over last year's estimate of 37.3 million birds and is 25 percent above the 1955-2008 long-term average.

"The increase in duck numbers in relation to the increase in habitat conditions is consistent with what we would expect to see in U.S. and Canadian breeding grounds this spring," said Ducks Unlimited's Executive Vice President Don Young. "History has repeatedly shown that when water returns to the breeding grounds, ducks respond with a strong breeding effort."

In addition to extensive grassland cover, one of the most important elements in duck breeding success is the amount of water present in portions of prairie and parkland Canada and north-central United States. Total pond counts for the United States and Canada combined showed 6.4 million ponds, a 45 percent increase from last year's estimate, and 31 percent above the long-term average.

Habitat conditions in 2009 were mostly a good news scenario. Conditions across the southern portions of the Canadian and U.S prairies improved considerably from 2008.

However, drought remained in some parts of the traditional survey area, including western portions of the Prairie Pothole Region.