DNR Announces 2010 Midwinter Waterfowl Survey Results
Annapolis, MD (March 8, 2010) — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and
the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) have released the results of
the 2010 Midwinter Waterfowl Survey. Each winter, pilots and biologists from the
two agencies count ducks, geese and swans along Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay
shoreline and Atlantic coast. In January 2010, the survey teams observed 787,100
waterfowl, slightly lower than the number of waterfowl observed in January 2009.
“When pooled with results from other states, the Midwinter Waterfowl Survey
provides a long-term measure of the distribution and population size of most
waterfowl species wintering in the Atlantic Flyway,” said Larry Hindman, DNR
Waterfowl Project Leader.
The number of mallards counted in this year’s survey (34,200) was significantly
lower than 2009 (58,300). The black duck count (22,500) slightly declined from
last winter, when 24,900 were counted.
“Extensive ice coverage of Chesapeake Bay waters, rivers and estuarine marshes
led to reduced open water and lower numbers for several duck species this year,"
Hindman said.
Overall, fewer diving ducks were counted (102,000) in 2010 than last winter
(157,600). Most of this decline can be attributed to the lower numbers of
redheads, canvasbacks, scaup and ruddy ducks observed. Extensive ice in the
Chester River prevented diving duck use of this major wintering area favored by
canvasbacks and scaup. Other environmental factors that influence the number of
canvasbacks and other divers in the Chesapeake Bay are the conditions of the
staging areas on the upper Mississippi River and Lake St. Claire in southern
Ontario. Above average numbers of canvasbacks were recorded on surveys of those
areas this year.
There was a slight increase in number of Canada geese counted by the survey
crews. Despite a poor nesting season, wintering Canada geese (519,500) remained
high and were likely bolstered by migrant geese pushed south by cold
temperatures and snow north of Maryland.
The Midwinter Waterfowl Survey has been conducted annually throughout the United
States since the early 1950s. The survey provides information on long-term
trends in waterfowl populations and is the only source of population estimates
for important species such as Atlantic brant and tundra swans.
|
Species |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
|
Mallard |
32,500 |
39,700 |
55,500 |
58,300 |
34,200 |
|
Black Duck |
13,300 |
13,800 |
23,000 |
24,900 |
22,500 |
|
Gadwall |
1,200 |
1,400 |
3,000 |
2,800 |
2,000 |
|
Widgeon |
300 |
400 |
800 |
500 |
300 |
|
G-W Teal |
400 |
3,300 |
4,600 |
1,400 |
600 |
|
Shoveler |
-- |
100 |
600 |
400 |
100 |
|
Pintail |
2,500 |
500 |
2,000 |
800 |
500 |
|
Total Dabblers |
50,300 |
59,200 |
89,500 |
89,000 |
60,100 |
|
Redhead |
1,800 |
1,100 |
11,900 |
12,400 |
3,400 |
|
Canvasback |
33,800 |
13,700 |
40,100 |
51,300 |
26,400 |
|
Scaup |
79,500 |
25,700 |
140,000 |
51,600 |
43,500 |
|
Ring-neck |
500 |
900 |
2,100 |
1,700 |
900 |
|
Goldeneye |
700 |
700 |
800 |
1,000 |
600 |
|
Bufflehead |
11,800 |
12,000 |
18,400 |
15,900 |
13,700 |
|
Ruddy Duck |
12,100 |
19,800 |
19,700 |
23,600 |
13,400 |
|
Total Divers |
140,200 |
73,900 |
233,000 |
157,600 |
102,000 |
|
Scoters |
10,000 |
2,100 |
2,900 |
2,900 |
900 |
|
Long-tailed Duck |
700 |
500 |
400 |
400 |
200 |
|
Mergansers |
7,000 |
1,700 |
4,300 |
8,900 |
10,600 |
|
Total Ducks |
208,400 |
137,400 |
330,100 |
261,000 |
173,700 |
|
Brant |
2,400 |
500 |
1,400 |
800 |
1,000 |
|
Snow Goose |
49,200 |
46,600 |
108,000 |
61,200 |
78,600 |
|
Canada Goose |
305,400 |
285,700 |
373,100 |
498,200 |
519,500 |
|
Tundra Swan |
8,200 |
8,700 |
11,700 |
14,200 |
14,000 |
|
Total Waterfowl |
577,100 |
478,900 |
821,500 |
836,900 |
787,100 |
| March 8, 2010 |
Contact: Josh Davidsburg |
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2009, is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 467,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries, and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic, and cultural resources attract 12 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov