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Florida Mottled Duck Research Project
Genetically distinct from mottled ducks found in Texas and Louisiana, the Florida Mottled Duck is a unique subspecies found only on the peninsula of Florida. The 30,000 to 40,000 birds that comprise the Florida breeding population are most commonly found on small prairie wetlands, flood plain marshes of the St. Johns and Kissimmee rivers, and coastal impoundments. Florida’s landscape within these areas has experienced drastic changes over the years with much of the dry land acreage being modified for agriculture or urban use. Mottled duck use of habitats over their annual cycle and their ability to adapt to these changes on the landscape are not well understood.
Efforts to gain a better understanding of mottled duck ecology in Florida has led the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission to propose research to investigate the habitat use, movements, and survival of female mottled ducks. This information will aid in focusing conservation efforts where they will be most effective. More specifically the objectives of the research are to identify wetland use patterns, calculate survival rates for females, identify causes of mortality, determine home ranges of females and describe nesting and brood rearing habitat.
Phase I of the study which was conducted on the Upper St. Johns River Basin (SJRB) is complete. Analysis from this study indicated that female mottled ducks captured within the SJRB area did not significantly use habitats outside of this area and have switched from habitat in rural areas to more urban/suburban settings. Additionally, survival of female mottled ducks appeared to increase as the availability of surface water increased within the basin.
Phase II, a 3-year study, will begin as soon as funding is in place and will examine these same objectives on areas within the Everglades Agricultural Area and in southwestern Florida. Current funding partners for the study include Ducks Unlimited, Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, and Reliant Energy. For more information on this project or DU’s conservation efforts in Florida, contact Dale James, Regional Biologist, at (843) 745-9110 or djames@ducks.org .
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