Boudreaux
Senior Member
A Special Report from the Delta Waterfowl Foundation
A Summary of Habitat Conditions Across the Breeding Grounds
Wetland conditions improved markedly across large areas of the U.S. Prairie Pothole Region (North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana) this year. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Spring survey shows a large increase in May ponds in the eastern Dakotas (up 117 percent from last year’s dry conditions), with wetland numbers 84 percent above the long-term average. In the western Dakotas and Montana, pond counts were up 95 percent from last year and 93 percent better than the long-term average.
Heavy fall rains significantly improved wetland habitat in northern South Dakota and southern North Dakota and near record snowfalls aided wetland conditions all across North Dakota and Montana. In addition to winter precipitation, timely spring rains maintained water conditions through late June across the U.S. side of the PPR. Conditions in both North and South Dakota are the best they have been in a decade!
Descriptions of habitat conditions observed by USFWS personnel during the Spring Breeding Survey. Map Courtesy of USFWS. *Data cited in this report is courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey
Conditions in southwestern Manitoba were improved over 2008 as well but not as significantly as the increase seen in the U.S. Pond counts indicated an increase of 12 percent and are in line with the long-term average.
Farther west, wetland conditions in Saskatchewan were highly variable with very good conditions in some areas of the Parklands and southern grasslands, while areas in the western portions of the province were exceptionally dry. In all, pond numbers in the province improved by 37 percent and were 11 percent above the long- term average.
Heavy snowfalls coupled with timely rains have created the best wetland conditions witnessed in the Dakotas in a decade.
Conditions worsen as one looks west. For example, Alberta, this spring, had the poorest wetland conditions in the Prairie Pothole Region, with May ponds decreasing 19 percent from last year and wetland conditions 7 percent below the long-term average.
Total pond counts across the prairie survey areas showed a total pond count of 6,434,000, a 45 percent increase from last year and 31 percent above the long-term average.
Farther north to the boreal forest, conditions are largely good, but ducks faced another challenge in these northerly breeding habitats—cold weather. USFWS survey personnel noted significant amounts of ice at the onset of the surveys, which likely delayed nesting efforts.
Conditions in the eastern breeding grounds remained in good condition with conditions similar to last year. Conditions in this area of the breeding grounds are far less variable than wetland habitats on the prairies.
Comparison of 2009 May Pond Numbers to Long-term Average
Inside the Numbers-Duck Populations on the Prairies
As one would expect, duck populations responded favorably to the significantly improved conditions in the Dakotas and southwestern Manitoba, while total duck numbers in Saskatchewan and Alberta saw declines. Results from the USFWS Spring Breeding survey indicated an overall breeding population of 42,005,000, an increase in total ducks of 13 percent from last year and 25 percent above the long-term average.
All duck species, save wigeon and redheads, which were unchanged from last year, saw double-digit increases from last year’s populations. Green-wing teal populations were at the highest surveyed populations and blue-wing teal populations were the second highest levels ever recorded. Mallard populations are above the long-term average and at the highest levels since 2000. Both pintail and scaup, long a source of concern for waterfowlers, posted significant increases. Scaup have increased for three consecutive years after reaching their all-time population low in 2006.
2009 Waterfowl Breeding Population Survey
Species 2009 2008 % Change from '08 % Change from LTA
Mallard 8.512 7.724 +10 +13
Gadwall 3.054 2.728 +12 +73
American Wigeon 2.469 2.487 -1 -5
Green-winged Teal 3.444 2.980 +16 +79
Blue-winged Teal 7.384 6.640 +11 +60
Northern Shoveler 4.376 3.508 +25 +92
Northern Pintail 3.225 2.613 +23 -20
Redhead 1.044 1.056 -1 +62
Canvasback .662 .489 +35 +16
Scaup 4.172 3.738 +12 -18
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Total Ducks 42.005 37.276 +13 +25
While the growth in eight of the ten surveyed duck populations was great news, the most interesting result from the spring survey was the distribution of ducks across the prairies. The U.S. Prairie Pothole Region attracted a higher percentage of ducks than ever before in history!
Below is a comparison of ponds, total ducks and mallards with the long-term averages across the key survey areas of the prairies.
Survey Area
Ponds from LTA
Total ducks from LTA
Mallards from LTA
Southern Alberta
-7%
-23%
-31%
Southern Sask.
+11%
+7%
-10%
SW Manitoba
-1%
-11%
+10%
Eastern Dakotas
+84%
+171%
+181%
Western Dakotas
+93%
+53%
-11%
Duck Numbers in the Eastern Breeding Grounds
As noted previously, wetland conditions in the eastern breeding grounds are far less variable than those witnessed on the prairies and as such duck populations and productivity tend to be less subject to the “boom or bust” cycles on the prairies.
As wetland conditions were similar to a year ago, duck numbers also closely resemble those of 2008. Mallards were up 3%, black ducks and goldeneyes are down slightly 7% and 6% respectively. Green-wing teal are unchanged as are ringnecks and scaup posted a significant increase of 18%. All in all conditions in the eastern breeding grounds are similar to last year and bode well for the coming fall.
Summary
As hunters, we can certainly revel in the good news provided by this year’s survey, the significant improvement in habitat conditions in most areas and large increases for most species of ducks and the promise for a good year of production. The improved wetland conditions should translate into a vigorous breeding effort as well as improved duckling survival. And with a significant percentage of ducks settling in the U.S. portion of the Prairie Pothole Region, one can expect good production, thanks to the upland cover provided by the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and intact native grasslands.
The survey should also bring us pause. The Dakotas have clearly demonstrated their ability to attract and produce ducks in a strong fashion, but the foundation of that duck production is at risk. Small wetlands are under constant threat of drainage, so we must maintain their protections under the provisions of the farm bill and other policy mechanisms. Likewise, much of the CRP grassland nesting cover that has allowed high nest success in recent years in the eastern Dakotas may return to cropland. That will be a crippling blow to duck production in the US prairies. The continuing conversion of native prairie into cropland is having a serious impact on nesting birds across the U.S. prairies. These are three very serious threats to duck production in the Dakotas that will require the attention of hunters and conservation groups.
Meanwhile, the Canadian prairie pothole region faces its own set of daunting problems. Wetland losses are continuing and are our most significant problem, but the scarcity of cover in many locales and terrible predation rates across the Canadian “Duck Factory” remain major hurdles for larger fall flights and a brighter future for ducks.
To reach our goals of bountiful fall flights, we need to maintain the duck production of the Dakotas and continue to pursue new remedies for Canada. Finding a large scale mechanism to conserve wetlands and restore nesting cover in Canada is certainly central to that goal, as are tools that can increase duck production on a more localized scale.
Delta continues to pursue the big habitat “fix” through the Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS) agricultural policy vision, which continues to show great promise. Delta also continues to pioneer new cost-effective ways of increasing duck production through predator management and Hen Houses. There is certainly much more to be done, but thanks to you we continue to strive ever closer to our goals.
