Garrison, ND, June 10, 2010 – This summer, crews of research technicians employed by Ducks Unlimited (DU) are using All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) to search winter wheat fields around Garrison and Minot for duck nests. The crews will monitor the nests throughout the summer to determine whether the hens successfully hatch their eggs.
“This study will determine how beneficial winter wheat is to nesting waterfowl,” said Dr. Scott Stephens, DU director of conservation planning. “With the knowledge we gain from this research, DU and its conservation partners can design programs that provide economic benefits for landowners while maintaining healthy duck populations.”
Earlier research by Ducks Unlimited Canada found that nests in winter wheat were 24 percent more likely to hatch than nests in spring-planted crops. This new research effort looks to confirm similar nesting success in the United States. The project is part of the Winter Cereals: Sustainability in Action initiative, a comprehensive effort between DU and Bayer CropScience to promote winter wheat in the Dakotas and Montana.
“Because winter wheat is planted in the fall, it is more beneficial to waterfowl than spring-seeded crops because there is less disruption during peak nesting times,” Stephens said.
Research crews will monitor a sample of duck nests in Mountrail, Ward and McLean counties in winter wheat, spring wheat and perennial grass fields. The research will assess and compare duck nest density and survival among the cover types. Crews are also monitoring predator activity on the study sites using trail cameras that automatically take photos of animals as they pass by the camera.
To find nests, researchers make passes across fields with a length of rope stretched between two ATVs. The rope rides on top of the wheat or grass, and when it passes over a duck sitting on a nest, the hen flushes and the nest can be located. Researchers record the species of duck, the number and age of the eggs and habitat characteristics at each nest. The nest is then inconspicuously marked so the researchers can revisit the nest every four to five days to determine whether the eggs have hatched or been destroyed.
“Many private landowners in the area have graciously provided access to their land for this research,” Stephens said. “Without their assistance, this work would not be possible.”
Ducks Unlimited is the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America’s continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 12 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever.
Jennifer Kross 701-202-8896 jkross@ducks.org
Becky Jones Mahlum 701-355-3507 bjonesmahlum@ducks.org