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PIERRE – State Game, Fish and Parks officials say conditions are set for another exceptional year of waterfowl production in South Dakota.
Waterfowl Biologist Spencer Vaa said the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) recently completed its annual Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey, and the results reflect the trend of the late 1990s.
"During the survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service pilot biologists, with the help of ground-truthing crews, flew line transects across South Dakota," Vaa said. "The biologists noted the various duck species, number of breeding pairs, Canada geese and coots. In addition, pond numbers were recorded."
He added that this survey has been conducted in South Dakota since 1959, so a long-term database has been collected.
"The total duck breeding population index for 2000 is four million, which is 97 percent above the long-term average," Vaa said. "This year’s total duck breeding population index is nearly identical to last year’s index, which totaled 3.9 million."
Blue-winged teal are the most common breeding duck in South Dakota, and this year’s estimated index is 1.6 million. Mallards and gadwalls were also recorded in very strong numbers at 1.1 million and 636,000, respectively. "Gadwalls have shown the largest increases over the 40 plus years this survey has been conducted in South Dakota," he said.
Even though pond numbers were down considerably this year compared to last year ( -39 percent ), they were still 20 percent above the long-term average.
Canada geese populations in South Dakota continued the rise that has been in effect since the early 1980s. This year’s breeding index of 165,000 is an increase of 48 percent from last year. North Dakota and Minnesota experienced similar Canada goose increases this year.
South Dakota is just one of many places surveyed during the May Breeding Population and Habitat Survey. According to Vaa, one has to look at data from other areas, such as the Canadian prairies, parklands and boreal forest before getting an indication of the fall flight.
Traditionally, states producing the most ducks are Alaska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, generally in that order. "South Dakota will continue to uphold its strong tradition of raising numerous waterfowl," Vaa noted, "because, we still possess the wetland and grassland habitat base required for successful recruitment and production."
Uploaded: 7/6/2000
Uploaded: 7/6/2000