WATERFOWL REPORT

The AGFC’s December aerial survey of waterfowl revealed the second lowest number of mallards and all ducks since the surveys began in 2009.

Arkansas’s neighbors don’t seem to be faring any better in overall expected duck numbers and mallard numbers, based on their recent surveys.

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks held a waterfowl aerial survey Dec. 13-16 and found that waterfowl habitat was scarce. In Mississippi, flooded habitat was greatest in the northeast portion of the Delta. As a result, total duck abundance estimate for the Mississippi Delta was below the long-term average for December surveys, as were the individual estimates for mallards and other dabbling ducks.

On the other hand, estimates for diving ducks are well above their long-term average for this time of year. Divers comprised about 50% of all duck observations.

In some precision-leveled fields with a little water in east-central Arkansas, just south of Lodge’s Corner, observers noted those fields being covered up in diving ducks rather than dabblers.

Mississippi’s count showed 26,403 estimated mallards, well below the average of 129,134 usually seen there in December. Total dabblers were 151,460, below the usual 278,941 ducks typically counted in December. Divers numbered 177,615, well above the average December estimate of 128,339. The total count of 355,478 was well below the usual 536,414 total ducks in December in counts going back to 2007, a drop of 33.7 percent.

Missouri’s report from the same week, Dec. 13, noted that good habitat was limited due the lack of rain and with dry conditions, ducks have little reason to leave refuges or other undisturbed areas in search of food. A cold front Dec. 6-8 failed to push new ducks into Missouri.