DU Migration Map FAQ's
See also: Press release on launch of Migration Map
Question Categories:
If you have questions that are not addressed on this page, we'd love to hear from you. Email us at migrationmap@ducks.org.
Submitting Reports
Q. Who submits reports to the migration map?
- Any visitor to the DU Web site may submit a report. We encourage everyone to participate to make the map as effective and useful as possible.
Q. How often can I submit a report?
- You may submit as many reports as you like. For example, if you've recently returned from a hunting trip in multiple cities, please submit a report for each city you visited.
Q. I submitted a report, but I don't see it posted on the map. Why?
- The map refreshes with new reports every 5 minutes. If you don't see your report, wait 5 minutes (less in some cases), and click the Refresh button on the map. You will see your report at that time. Once your report is displayed, it will stay active on the map for 24 hours. After that time, we encourage you to come back and submit a new report.
Q. Do I have to be a waterfowl hunter to participate in this map?
- Not at all. We encourage anyone who is passionate about waterfowl, bird watching or migration patterns to submit reports regularly to the map.
Q. What happens if someone submits a false report, with the intention of misleading users about waterfowl activity in a certain area?
- Obviously, we have no way to prevent someone from making a ‘false' report on the map. However, if multiple users submit reports to the same location during a 24 hour period, we take a mathematical average of the reports and display the appropriate marker based on that average. So, the more people who participate, the less likely it will be for a few folks to skew the results. We also monitor all reports and remove malicious or obvious misleading reports immediately.
Q. When I submit a report, why does it ask me to classify the waterfowl?
- As an added benefit, we break down reports by the following classifications: puddle ducks, diving ducks and geese. If you know which type of waterfowl you observed, we encourage you to specify so that users can filter the map based on those classifications. If you're not sure which classification you waterfowl falls into, click here to learn more. If you don't know, just select the “Unknown” option to proceed.
Q. What is the comment box used for when I submit a report?
- We encourage users to add comments about their observation or waterfowl encounter. For example, if you observed waterfowl during a hunt, feel free to add your take on the hunting experience, which species you saw, or any other related commentary. Please take care to use proper grammar and spelling - all reports are viewable by the public.
Navigation and Using the Map
Q. How do I zoom into a marker on the map?
- To zoom, simply double click on a marker or any section of the map. Each time you double click, you'll zoom in further to the target location. You may also use the zoom slider control on the left side of the map.
Q. How can I view the map with state borders and local references?
- By default, the map is shown in aerial view without the aid of state borders. You may change this option at any time by clicking the “Hybrid” view on the Zoom control toolbar on the map.
Q. When I zoom in on the map, some areas are clear and others are blurry. Why?
- The satellite map is a web service we utilize from Microsoft Virtual Earth. Microsoft is continually updating Virtual Earth with new imagery provided by their partners. According to Microsoft, they are working to update the existing aerial imagery, as well as adding new data, such as birds eye and global satellite imagery at 15 meters. More FAQ's on Microsoft Virtual Earth can be found here.
Q. How do I get migration updates sent to my email address?
- Locate a marker on the map that represents the city or general area of interest. Next, click the link that says “Get reports for this city via email.” On the next box, enter your email address and you will receive an email any time a report has been submitted to this particular location.
General & Miscellaneous Questions
Q. When I try to view the map, all I see is "Loading..." and no map. Why?
- The DU Migration map leverages Microsoft's Virtual Earth service. Microsoft's Virtual Earth currently only supports the latest build of Internet Explorer 6.0 or later, and Firefox 2.0 or later. Microsoft plans to support Safari by the end of 2007.
Q. Does the migration map track live ducks?
- No. The DU Migration map is made up of user-submitted reports of waterfowl activity in a given geographic area. The map does not track live waterfowl.
Q. Why can't I submit a migration report in Mexico?
- We realize that waterfowl migrate all the way from Canada down through Mexico and beyond. However, for a number of technical reasons, we had to limit migration tracking to Canada and the United States for the time being. We may add tracking across all of North America at a later date.
Q. How can I advertise or become a sponsor on the migration map?
- Please contact Beth Bryan (901-758-3779), Director of Advertising for Ducks Unlimited if you would like more information on sponsoring the DU migration map.
More Questions?
If you have questions that are not addressed on this page, we'd love to hear from you. Email us at migrationmap@ducks.org.
Related: Press release on launch of Migration Map