to near freezing by sundown of October 1. Downy ducklings, many having been abandoned by the hen, were visibly stressed by the cold temperatures and wind.
El c_PEPLEPE_PcPc_PE_Pc_PE_PEPc_PLEP
EPLIEP
c_Pc_PriD_P EP
EPE_PcPc_Pr_Pr_Pdr.91212
The Year Ducks
Story and Photos y Gc c_PciEP cPc_P c_P c_Pc_P
JEUIREEP [MEM The heavy rains of July 1993 that ended several years of drought in North Dakota were a boon to ducks and other waterbirds. Duck production was the best in recent years. However, the most noteworthy difference from other productive years was the continuation of duck nesting into autumn. The last known comparable late duck nesting effort occurred in 1962, another extremely wet summer in southern North Dakota. Prairie ducks usually stop laying eggs by early July and most nests hatch by mid- August. However, in 1993 many hens continued to initiate nests throughout July and August. Laying a clutch of eggs and incubation takes about 35 days. As a result, newly-hatched broods were common in ponds across eastern and central North Dakota in late August and September. Lacking information on the magnitude and species composition of ducks produced from late hatches, staff at the
Northern Prairie Science Center (formerly Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center) conducted a survey of flightless broods in late September in Stutsman and Barnes counties. The results suggested about 1,950 flightless duck broods in a 1,500-squaremile area, where in most years virtually all duck broods are approaching or have attained flight stage by late September. Blue-winged teal, mallards, gadwalls, redheads and ruddy ducks accounted for most of the late broods seen. The NPSC's survey sampled only part of the high rainfall area in the state, so it was apparent that many thousands of flightless broods were present in North Dakota at the end of September. Among the first questions raised by the presence of all these late broods was whether they would survive to flight stage, and be able to migrate south, given that freeze-up was only 4-6 weeks away. During the warm days of late September, it seemed likely that most ducklings
would survive. However, this prognosis was short-lived as a strong high-pressure system caused temperatures to plummet to near freezing by sundown of October 1. Downy ducklings, many having been abandoned by the hen, were visibly stressed by the cold temperatures and wind. By the next morning, when the duck and goose hunting season opened, temperatures had dropped into the teens and ice covered many shallow ponds. Warm weather soon returned, but few down-covered ducklings survived the cold front's passage. Most likely died from exposure or were killed by predators while ice cover was present. The next major culling of late broods came following the night of October 2930. Most flightless juveniles remaining at the end of the month were redheads that had survived the cold weather in early October, but because redheads need about 60 days to reach flight stage, they still were incapable of flight.
Flightless mallard brood on a seasonal wetland in western Barnes County on October 30, 1993. These juveniles were nearing flight capability but fell victim to red fox a few days later when the pond froze.
22
ND Outdoors
August 1994
LP
4."
s"Pin0 cw .spnp a.u!aid Jaw° um!, snivis umliv of powd da8uo1 v a.nnbai goyim `spvatipad aldM Chl-d2dalf iv ssally8llf Sumvulad slonp anuannf atp Jo 'son •umaisawvf Jo isvattuou puod luauvuuadyuas v uo dagoloo aivj u, spvatipad 8unoA
t166 I igranki
E
5 5 55 1
55
55
o lamp
c_PLIMIVP
'J01,1.9114 JO _71,1d11,111Vdda sA dyi jo sda(t.ins put, sum.doid 1/3.111.9Sal 1vo[8oioN alp SidiptipilpV 44.014 1pple14 ((Nuns 1vo13oloig ivuoyviv pauidof *4M d1/.1 dayliaS ainppm pro tisu-sy) alp Waif id11,1,9,9 dip `E66[ .1.9q01.90 ul '1,1440JS.91Uly .113.911 .1.9.111dj ddild1.9S dip iv is18o1o1q 11.9.1VdSal dfilplytit bo s1 advffx
-1Agy9
•uou -auouaqd iunsnun sup jay 411 lutp suop -!puoo oiui pig!su! muomppu apInoid -Firm muuou uuip Jam ism itujuIeJ Jamuns jo SUOJU ui slonp iou JO Japaqm 5u!paani aiui a tom Joj aguis alp 2up -las XiciIssod `flint' Xpra puu aunt' u! jam OJOM 01U1S ap Jo spud autos `JanamoH •saouaun000 luanbauui isud uo pasuct
LEPLIOPLOPED
c,
ETOSEP cidEP
Juaic sup uuminu oiui puma -Film pojja 5upsau Jocum u Xpluun s! 1! `utunlnu oiu! 5upsau ui isIsJad siCumiu illm sNonp maj alltim •Juaic anponpaid Japouu 2u!Auti slonp ap!uid 'SUM Arum u! spunoi5 J'upsau *mu 5u!p!no.id spuuT dND trim puu '5upds sup aims ap jo Bantu SSOJOU 1U0S0Jd suompuoo lam qp •isn5nv-plus Jour spa 5ur ugnou! suati mum pug 01 OM SI `SJUOX 'UMW III *JOCRIOldOS XIJUO puu -Ludy ui 5upsuis 'sworn °Au inoqu Joj paisauai puu palsau `aIdtuuxa Joj 'stump's .pa! -m000 5upsau go!qm JOAO 0L119 JO MAIO' 0141 JPLI!JOpISLIO0 OICIMIJUIIIOJ SUM 661 uT slonp apIald /cc' tipoj ind poppy 5uIpaaJci ITunA° 0141 •slonp icppn.1 puu Teal Joj idaoxa s‘uosuas ap jo pud -Firms u Xiuo paluasaidal spooKi am asap `tupuriscins sum Jogoloo ism iciurpow pooici paluiaJ-Japram alltim •dn-azaau iu uluge OJOM speagpai alluanni jo sassoyllads pion imp 5upnp paw /Cuutu puu Jagoloo Xpra ui paianoo-umop
0
OJOM spooN 0141 Rug amp aim `(slonp Appal puu speagpai yciputupd) sAonp 5ups4p 5UOWE `JOAOMOH *chl-OZOOJJ amp(' /Cu aiciu OJOM puu duns moo Jacioloo Xpua 0141 Xq (mums umop 0141 isud) pa is OJOM (sllumpa puu spnifeui `teal paulm-anici) slot-1p 5u!Nctup jo sJapunb-aallp mow •sapads uotuu pa! -JUA auis itpu tiara' 01 pm lugI slonp 5unoic pagoluq-alui jo uo!podiaid au •spiau puu sumo) `sprais -uiuj u! slonp 5unoic papuugs papodai siaTanuJi puu sialung `sJauum •puui -JOAO 5u1now uu5act puu spuupam ap slonp 5unoX asap Jo Xuum `auou if!pu!,4 •Jaium uado Jo lianas u! Xpualudde `saluT puu saiotpod uazau SSOJOU 5upopuern was OJOM salluann[ `/Cup-p!w icg .S101 -upaid Japo puu sImo patuotilual5 `xoj pal Joj /aid Xsua anuoaq puu 00! 0141 oluo pay loj OJOM spooKt `sop i puu spuod ictreau 5upaAoo 00! tam, •rioluu gpoN unisua jo gontu SSOJOU i!aquaniud saaA'ap m mnoqu ouiaj ammadwai 0141 'N Jacioloo Jo smog 5u!tuotu /cpua ap uI
P LIMP [MEP
[TOD
b au
1 iiinnin g
ndrux 7 km19 A so
oiui paisi
1 Ili Wi ""f " lir ad u 0 EliarOPED cPcPcPEDridiaraP [SOUP
if
•
if
(j/1
c_PcPc_PESOPLEEra
