CONSERVATION CORNER
August 28, 2006
Waterfowl Populations Improve
by James L. Cummins

This past year, North America's waterfowl population showed some significant increases. What the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found was an improvement in the breeding population of ducks across the traditional survey area that includes Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alaska, Yukon Territory, the Dakotas and western Montana.

Not only did the 2006 estimate (36.2 million) of ducks indicate a 14 percent increase over 2005 (31.7 million), but the estimate was significantly higher than the 1955-06 average. The annual breeding duck survey covers 1.3 million square miles across the middle-central United States, western and northern Canada and Alaska.

Breeding mallard populations increased 8 percent over 2005. Gadwalls were up 30 percent and pintails were up 32 percent. Overall, there was a 9 percent increase in total ducks from the long term average. Only scaup (down 2 percent) and wigeon (down 4 percent) showed a decline.

Although waterfowl populations were slightly down, intensive conservation efforts fueled by a tremendous partnership among government, conservation and private landowners have yielded a fairly stable population. The Bush Administration's emphasis on wetland restoration deserves much of the credit.

The good news is that water conditions have improved across portions of the breeding grounds. With the exception of 1996 and 1997, prairie Canada is the wettest it's been since the 1970s, and this is the second year Canada has been wet. This is excellent for Mississippi since we receive most of our ducks from this area.

The conditions in the United States are not as wet as Canada, but they could be worse.

In the wintering areas, the Mississippi Partners Program, the Conservation Reserve Program, the Wetland Reserve Program and the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program continue to contribute to the wintering waterfowl population. Wildlife Mississippi worked extensively with landowners to develop winter waterfowl habitat throughout the state.

One of the objectives of Wildlife Mississippi is to maximize hunting opportunities in a manner that is consistent with the status of waterfowl populations. When we have good habitat conditions and a high waterfowl population like we are experiencing at this time, we will have quality hunting opportunities.

Despite increases in the breeding population and good water conditions, waterfowl still have tough times ahead. They need large areas of nesting cover and an abundance of temporary and seasonal wetlands.