Special Report – DUCK NUMBERS UP! – July 5, 2006 – The numbers are in, and for most species the news is good. Overall, waterfowl populations rose 14% from the 2005 survey and remain 9% above the 1955-2005 average. Pond counts also improved in key areas of prairie Canada this year, rising 13% from last year to 4.2 Million ponds. The same 13% increase was seen in total ponds over the US and Canada. The report does include some cautionary notes, indicating a drying cycle for many areas of the US breeding grounds that began shortly after the surveys were completed.
There are some troubling numbers within the survey, however. Wigeon and scaup numbers have continued to decline and remain significantly below their long term averages (LTA). Pintail also remain below their LTA but saw an increase of 32% from the 2005 survey.
The remaining species data breaks down as follows:
Mallards : + 8% from 2005, 3% below the LTA
Gadwall : + 30% from 2005, 67% above the LTA
American Wigeon : – 2%, 17% below the LTA
Green-winged teal: + 20%, 39% above LTA
Blue-winged teal: + 28%, 30% above the LTA
Northern shoveler: + 2%, 69% above the LTA
Northern pintail: + 32%,18% below the LTA
Redhead: + 55%, 47% above the LTA
Canvasback: +33, 23% above the LTA
Scaup: – -4%, 37% below the LTA.
Details for the Eastern Survey Area should be available later this week. The numbers listed above are from the Preliminary Report / Trends in Duck Breeding Populations 1955-2006. The full text of the report is available from the US Fish and Wildlife service at http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/reports/reports.html.
Waterfowler.com will update this report as soon as the Eastern Survey Results become available.
