Ducks decline 6% in annual North American waterfowl survey
Duck numbers in North America declined 6% to 38.9 million in 2019, according to an annual waterfowl survey released Monday by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Notably, this year's Waterfowl Population Status report represents the fourth consecutive annual decrease since a record high 49.5 million ducks in 2015 and the first time since 2008 the estimate was lower than 40 million.
On the positive side, the 2019 estimate is 10% above the long-term average, and mallards, arguably the most important species to waterfowl hunters, showed an increase.
The data are derived from aerial surveys on more than 2 million square miles of principal waterfowl breeding areas in North America.
The survey has been conducted annually since 1955 and provides the single best picture of continental waterfowl populations.
The work is conducted in the spring, before duck broods hatch, and reflects the carryover of adult ducks from previous years of production.
“The fact that the 2019 numbers are down is a reflection of last year's dry conditions for nesting ducks,” said Frank
Rohwer, president of Delta Waterfowl, a conservation organization based in Bismarck, N.D.
Aside from dry or wet conditions, which vary annually, there is a broader concern about the negative effect on waterfowl numbers from habitat loss and cuts to the Conservation Reserve Program .
The program had 22.3 million acres enrolled in June, the lowest level since the late 1980s, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data.
The annual waterfowl report includes estimates of primary duck and goose species as well as pond counts.
Among the top 10 ducks, three were up (mallard, gadwall and green-winged teal), one was flat (wigeon) and six were down (blue-winged teal, canvasback, pintail, redhead, scaup and shoveler).
With regard to the three most abundant species, the survey estimated 9.42 million mallards, up 2%; 5.43 million blue-wings, down 16%; and 3.65 million shovelers, down 13%.
All three diver ducks showed declines: canvasback, down 5%, redhead, down 27% and scaup, down 10%.
Pintails continued a troubling trend, down 4% this year and 42% below the long-term average.
The total pond estimate (prairie Canada and north-central U.S. combined) was 5.0 million, similar to the 2018 estimate and the long-term average, both 5.2 million.
Rohwer called the 2019 conditions across North America a "tale of two countries."
“Canada is in bad shape," Rohwer said. "It started dry (in Canada) and got even drier. However, the prairies in the Dakotas started wet and stayed ridiculously wet."
While duck estimates were higher in many U.S. states, it wasn't enough to compensate for the lower numbers in Canada. Rohwer, who typically spends months each year north of the border for waterfowl research, said he hasn't seen portions of Canada so dry since the mid-1980s.
Despite what will likely be a poor year in Canada, high and persistent precipitation in the Dakotas and elsewhere should help stimulate duck production in the U.S.
"The numbers aren't as bad as they appear," Rowher said. "Even though breeding duck numbers are down overall, the U.S. prairies were incredibly wet from south to north, which will lead to strong duck production."
Rowher predicted duck hunters, especially in the southern U.S., would have a better season in 2019.
Kirby honored for waterfowl work: Don Kirby of Green Bay was presented Thursday with the Waterfowl Heritage Award at the Mississippi Flyway Council meeting in Duluth, Minn.
Kirby, who served as executive director of the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association from 2009-18, was selected for his work on waterfowl-related topics from hunting to habitat protection as well as strengthening the association's relationship with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
The Waterfowl Heritage Award recognizes a citizen, group of citizens or an organization for outstanding long-term support in the promotion of the sport of waterfowling, waterfowl law enforcement, waterfowl biology and waterfowl management benefiting the resource and the public. The recognition is sponsored by the Mississippi Flyway Council Law Enforcement Committee.
Kirby was nominated by Wisconsin DNR Chief Conservation Warden Todd Schaller.
Kirby left the WWA in October 2018 for a job with Bast Durbin Advertising.