Effects of food supplementation on depredation of duck nests in upland habitat

Published source details Greenwood R.J., Pietruszewski D.G. & Crawford R.D. (1998) Effects of food supplementation on depredation of duck nests in upland habitat. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 26, 219-226.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Provide diversionary feeding to reduce predation of livestock by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict Action Link

Provide diversionary feeding to reduce predation of livestock by mammals to reduce human-wildlife conflict

A controlled study in 1993–1994 of 24 upland prairie areas in North Dakota, USA (Greenwood et al. 1998) found that diversionary feeding of predators reduced striped skunk Mephitis mephitis predation on duck Anas spp. nests, but overall nest success rates did not increase significantly. The proportion of predation events on large-clutch duck nests by striped skunks was lower in areas with diversionary feeding (11%) than in areas without feeding (24%). However, the proportion of duck nests in which at least one egg hatched did not differ significantly between feeding areas (41%) and areas without food provision (29%). In April–July 1993 and 1994, supplementary food (90–100 kg of fish offal and sunflower seeds) was distributed within 1–2 plots (50 x 200–300 m) in each of 12 areas every 3–4 days. Twelve control areas had no supplementary food. Each area contained 33–83 ha of upland nesting cover and was managed for duck production. In May–July 1993 and 1994, three searches for duck nests were conducted in each of the 24 areas using a vehicle-towedchain drag. A total of 1,008 nests (609 in feeding areas; 399 in areas without supplementary food) were marked and checked every 6–21 days or until abandoned/destroyed.

(Summarised by: Anna Berthinussen)