Last week the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) released its preliminary report 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% increase over last year's estimate of 37.3 million birds and is 25 percent above the 1955-2008 long-term average!
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.
For the whole story, please go to www.ducks. org. For details of trends in duck breeding populations, check the FWS Migratory Bird website at:http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/