By Sam Jeffords
Each year, duck hunters and conservationists alike pin their hopes on favorable weather conditions to encourage a healthy brood production of waterfowl species. Weather cycles, such as the abnormally wet spring and summer, have helped replenish the northern U.S and Canada wetlands that were once drying up. May ponds (U.S. Prairies and Prairie and Parkland Canada combined) this year were estimated at 5.2 + .2 million, 91% above last year’s estimates and 7% above the long term average. Couple this with the fact that most prairie areas had warm, wet springs, and the outlook for 2003 is very optimistic.
Through efforts of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Waterfowl Population Status Report is released annually. With help from federal, provincial, and state agencies, surveys are conducted during the spring months to estimate the size of breeding populations and to assess the condition of the habitats. Estimates are derived from both the traditional survey area, which includes parts of Canada, Alaska, and the north central U.S, and the eastern survey area, which includes parts of Quebec, Ontario, Newfoundland, Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Is, New York and Maine.
Total duck estimates for the traditional survey area this year is 36.2 + .7 million, up 16% last year. This number does not include long tailed ducks, mergansers, and wood ducks because much of their breeding range is not contained in the traditional survey area. The total duck estimate for the eastern survey area was 3.6 + .3 million birds, which is 17% below last year, but similar to the 1996-2002 average.
Breeding Population Abundance trends from the USFWS’s traditional survey area for the 10 principle duck species are as follows:
American Wigeon
Estimates on wigeon numbers this year are 2.55 million, up 9% from last year’s estimate of 2.3 million birds, and is 3% less than the long term average (LTA) of 2.63 million.
Canvasback
The increase in canvasback numbers from .49 million last year to .56 million this year is a direct result of extensive conservation efforts. A closed season last year is no doubt responsible for the 15% increase from 2002 to 2003, and these numbers are just 1% under the LTA of .562 million birds.
Mallard
Perhaps the most popular duck among hunters has seen a 6% increase in numbers from 2002 to 2003. Mallard breeding estimates rose from 7.5 million last year to 7.95 million this year, and are 6% above the LTA of 7.50 million birds.
Northern Pintail
Pintails experienced the second highest increase in breeding estimates from last year, rising to 2.56 million, an increase of 43%! While these numbers are definitely encouraging, pintails are still 39% under the 4.22 million LTA of these birds.
Northern Shoveler
The most improved of the 10 primary species this year. Shoveler estimates increased by a whopping 56% from 2002, reaching 3.62 million birds. In addition to the 56% increase, Shovelers are 72% above the 2.10 million LTA.
Redhead
While redhead numbers are still low, population estimates increased 13 % from .57 million birds last year to .64 million birds this year. The long term average of these birds are .63 million, and redheads are currently 2% above that number.
Scaup
(greater and lesser combined)
3.73 million birds were estimated in this year’s breeding population. This is 6% above the 3.52 million from last year, but is still 29% below the LTA. The LTA of the greater and lesser combined is 5.28 million.
Teal (Blue winged)
Teal numbers exploded by 31% from last year. 5.51 million Teal were estimated this season, compared to 4.20 million from last year. This average is 23% above the 4.49 million LTA.
Teal (Green winged)
2.68 million Green winged teal were estimated this year, a 15% jump from last year’s numbers. The population is booming, 46% above the LTA of 1.83 million birds.
Geese and Swans
Goose and swan populations and estimates are reported separate from other waterfowl species by the USFWS. Techniques used to help determine population status differ from those used in duck estimates. Midwinter surveys, breeding population surveys, and habitat surveys are conducted by federal, provincial, and state biologists as well as university affiliated researchers.
Nesting habitat conditions are evaluated based on the amount of snow cover still on the ground during the first week of June. The annual production of young by northern nesting geese is influenced by weather cycles on these breeding grounds, particularly during the spring snowmelt. Slow snowmelt will reduce the available nesting locations or delay nesting, all of which negatively affect reproductive effort and productivity. If geese are able to begin nesting by the beginning of May, then a good production can typically be expected. However, if nesting is delayed into the first of June, the productivity is generally less than optimal.
Canada Goose
North Atlantic Population (NAP) Canada geese generally join in with other Atlantic Flyway Canada geese, which generally have a more coastal distribution than other populations. This year’s estimate of 60,800 indicated pairs (singles plus pairs) is unchanged from that of last year. Indicated pair estimates have shown a 5% decline each year since surveys were initiated in 1996.
Snow Goose
Mid continent populations (MCP)of snow geese winter primarily in the eastern parts of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas, as well as along the west coast of the Hudson Bay and on the Baffin and Southampton Islands. Biologists counted 2.44 million light geese, which includes lesser snows and Ross’s geese. It is important to remember that these numbers are taken during the winter months, and with spring snow breakup average or slightly earlier than average, the fall flight is expected to be similar or slightly ahead of last year’s number of 2.7 million.
Tundra Swans
Eastern population Tundra swans nest from the Seward Peninsula of Alaska to the northeast shore of the Hudson Bay and Baffin Islands. These birds utilized areas ranging from Maryland to North Carolina for wintering. 4% more eastern Tundra swans were observed this year than last year, increasing from 104,100 in 2002 to 108,200 in 2003. Numbers have increased an average of 3% in each of the last 10 years.
For a more in-depth look at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s complete Waterfowl Population Status, look them up on the web at http://migratorybirds.fws.gov
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