The results are in for waterfowl breeding surveys from North Dakota and Wisconsin. In short, both are down slightly from 2006, but remain above the long-term average.
Hello folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com.
As we await the final tally of federal breeding surveys, the results from Wisconsin and North Dakota are comforting. While down slightly the previous year and the record high in 2002, waterfowl numbers are above the long-term average.
While there is cause for concern of specific species within these states, overall the trends appear to indicate that the base production of an “average year” is on the rise. While the results for South Dakota and the Canadian Prairie Pothole Region are not in, water conditions this spring were good to excellent in both regions.
In the grand scheme of waterfowl management, we are only as good as our worst year. Waterfowl hunters should remain committed to raising the benchmark of waterfowl production by supporting Delta Waterfowl Foundation, Ducks Unlimited and their state waterfowl conservation organizations.
As you prepare for the coming season, make the time to volunteer for a waterfowl event or project in your area and continue your financial support by attending a local banquet or fundraising event.
BREEDING SURVEY SUMMARIES:
NORTH DAKOTA
Numbers of breeding ducks in North Dakota declined from last year and continue their decline from the record high in 2002. However, numbers remain relatively high compared to the 60-year average. The 2007 duck index was down 13 percent from 2006, but exceeded the 1948-2006 average index by 51 percent (Table 3). The 2007 index is the thirteenth highest on record. Compared to 2006, total ducks observed on individual transects were down or unchanged.
The indices for all species, individually, were down or unchanged from 2006. Mallards and pintail, gadwall, wigeon, scaup and ruddy ducks were unchanged. Blue-winged teal were down 31 percent. Indices for all other species were below that of 2006, with the most significant decreases for green-winged teal (-35 percent) and canvasback (-30 percent). All species, except pintail (-12 percent), remained at or above the 1948-2006 average. The index for mallards was 130 percent above the 1948-2006 average and was the eighth highest on record. Blue-winged teal were at (+5 percent) the long-term average. Although scaup numbers were unchanged (+2%) from 2006, they remained 136 percent above the 1948-2006 average. Canvasbacks were down 30 percent, while redheads were 35 percent above the 1948-2006 average.
The remarkable wet cycle, which began in the summer of 1993, has not yet been interrupted by a statewide drought. However, pond conditions are very poor in the western two-thirds of the state, despite what the water index derived from our survey indicates. We again caution that the index is based on basins with water, and does not necessarily represent total water availability. Survey crews indicated that many “wet basins” held very little water at the time of the survey and that a high percent of the ponds that had small amounts of water would be totally dry without the addition of significant precipitation.
Surveyors observed that many of the larger wetlands are holding fewer birds in both spring and fall presumably due to reduced fertility and productivity of wetlands with the continuous high water levels. Many of these areas need to dry to recycle nutrients and to regain invertebrate and aquatic vegetation productivity.
WISCONSIN
Wetland conditions were quite variable across the state with wet conditions in the south and east, somewhat dry in the southwest and very dry in the north. Overall wetland numbers were down across the state from 2006 except for in the southeast.
Overall breeding duck survey results indicate a healthy, relatively stable population of breeding ducks in Wisconsin experiencing normal annual fluctuations. This is a positive indication of hunting regulations and habitat management/protection. A healthy population will show declines in years of poor habitat because of lower rainfall and fewer wetlands but will be able to respond when conditions are wetter in future years. Current landscape conditions combined with a good rain/snowfall year seem to be supporting total breeding duck numbers at a level over 500,000 and mallard breeding numbers near 250,000. The lower than historic blue-winged teal breeding population numbers continue to be a concern and additional research on this species in Wisconsin is warranted. The actual 2007 production of ducks will depend, in part, on the impact of May and June rain events needed to improve and sustain brood habitat. Rainfall since the early May breeding survey has produced mixed results so production is expected to be variable across the state.
Mallards: The 2007 total mallard population estimate is 210,219 (+/- 30,343). This estimate is statistically the same as the 2006 estimate of 219,494 and 16% above the long-term mean (34 years). This population estimate is below recent years (1998- 2007), which averaged about 269,000. The overall trend on breeding mallard population appears to be leveling off following a 20+ year increasing trend. Given the survey results and wetland conditions, we would expect to see fair to moderate mallard production in Wisconsin in 2007.
Canada Geese: Based on the most recent harvest derivations, the proportion of the Wisconsin Canada goose harvest that comes from giant Canada geese has increased to 49% with most of those birds representing Canada geese that breed in Wisconsin. This increase indicates the continued importance of instate breeding Canada geese in our overall fall harvest. The statewide breeding Canada goose population estimate of 125,195 (+/- 21,047) is down 7% from 2006 and 64% above the long-term (21-year) mean. While the long-term trend for Wisconsin’s resident Canada geese is still increasing, recent survey years suggest that this increase may be slowing.
Until our next report, support those who support the resource. Make a donation to a conservation organization today.
