Conservation Corner: December 3, 2001

Duck Populations Fall, But Remain High
by James L. Cummins

For the second straight year, breeding duck populations declined from the record high reached in 1999, as dry habitat conditions in Canada and the northwestern United States likely contributed to a slightly lower population of breeding ducks this spring, according to results from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (Service) surveys.

The total population of breeding ducks found by aerial surveys fell to approximately 36.1 million birds. That number represents a decline of nearly 14 percent from last year's index of 41.8 million birds, but is still 9 percent above the long term average breeding population since surveys began in 1955.

After five years of steady increases leading up to the record 1999 season, most duck populations remain healthy but have begun to fall back in line with historic averages. A significant factor contributing to the stability is the progress Wildlife Mississippi and others have made in reducing the rate of wetland loss and restoring wetlands across the country. Wetlands loss has slowed by 80 percent since the late 1970s. Much of this is due to the Wetland Reserve Program, Partners For Fish and Wildlife, Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program and the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. Breeding populations of mallards fell 17 percent from 2000 levels to 7.9 million, a level comparable to their long-term average. The northern pintail population of 3.3 million was slightly above the 2000 level, but numbers also remain well below historic averages.

Annual breeding population, habitat and production surveys, combined with mid-winter population counts and waterfowl hunting harvest surveys, help guide the Service's waterfowl conservation programs under authority of the 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

According to estimates of waterfowl harvest and hunter activity gathered during the 2000-2001 season through the National Waterfowl Harvest Survey, there was a 4 percent decrease from the previous season. Persons buying duck stamps for hunting averaged slightly more than 8 days afield and harvested an average of approximately 9 ducks, down 5 percent from the previous season's level. Migratory bird hunters purchased nearly 1.7 million duck stamps last season, an increase of 1 percent, contributing nearly $25 million for habitat restoration and conservation activities.

As is customary, mallards comprised the largest number of ducks harvested at 37 percent of the preliminary total, with gadwalls making up 13 percent, green-wing teal 11 percent, wood duck 9 percent and blue-winged teal 7 percent of the total harvest, to round out the top five species.

The entire 2001 Trends in Waterfowl Breeding Populations report can be downloaded from the Service's Web site at http://migratorybirds.fws.gov/reports/reports.html.

James L. Cummins is Executive Director of the Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation in Stoneville, Mississippi. Known as "Wildlife Mississippi," the Foundation is a non-profit, conservation organization founded to conserve, restore and enhance fish, wildlife and plant resources throughout Mississippi.