Study

Seasonal predator removal relative to hatch rate of duck nests in waterfowl production areas

  • Published source details Sargeant A.B., Sovada M.A. & Shaffer T.L. (1995) Seasonal predator removal relative to hatch rate of duck nests in waterfowl production areas. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 23, 507-513.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Control predators not on islands for wildfowl

Action Link
Bird Conservation
  1. Control predators not on islands for wildfowl

    A replicated, randomised, paired site study from May-June in 1987-1990 in 15 pairs of waterfowl production areas (61-201 ha) consisting of equal wetland and grassland habitats in Minnesota and North Dakota, USA (Sargeant et al. 1995), found that four duck species exhibited higher nest success and daily survival rate in sites where predators were removed. Mean daily survival rate of nests was significantly higher in predator-removal sites than control sites (0.94 compared to 0.91). Mean hatching rate was 13.5% for predator-removal sites and 5.6% for control sites but there was considerable variation in both treatments (1-58% and 1-62% respectively). Nest predation rate was significantly lower in predator-removal sites than control sites (91% compared to 96%). However, hatch rate was not correlated to the number of predators removed. Ducks species analysed were mallard Anas platyrhynchos, blue-winged teal Anas discors, gadwall Anas strepera and northern pintail Anas acuta.

     

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