GARRISON, N.D., March 17, 2011 - Researchers at Ducks Unlimited and Montana State University are making preparations for the second year of data collection of a three-year study evaluating duck nesting success in winter wheat fields compared to other habitats. After the first year of data collection, researchers found winter wheat had greater nesting activity than spring-planted crops. 

"We have our preliminary results, but we still need to rely on additional years of data collection before making any conclusions," Johann Walker, Ducks Unlimited director of conservation planning, said. "We think the large number of nests that we found in winter wheat in 2010 was a positive sign, and we are excited to see what the second field season will bring." 

Brandi Skone, a graduate student at Montana State University; Dr. Jay Rotella, professor at MSU; and Walker are collaborating on the project. They plan to compare nest success among fields of winter wheat, spring-seeded crops and perennial grassland across the landscape of North and South Dakota. 

The project is part of the Winter Cereals: Sustainability in Action initiative, a comprehensive effort between DU and Bayer CropScience to promote planting winter wheat in the Prairie Pothole Region.

Of the 1,619 duck nests found in 2010, researchers found 597 nests in winter wheat fields compared with only 83, or about five percent, in spring-planted crops. One species of particular concern, the northern pintail, was observed nesting in winter wheat at a much higher frequency than in spring wheat. This is promising because recent population declines in this species are thought to be partly the result of nest destruction by spring cultivation activity. For common species such as gadwall, mallard and northern shoveler, similar numbers of nests were found in winter wheat and perennial grassland. 

The 2010 study areas covered 1,900 acres of winter wheat in Mountrail, Ward and McLean counties in north central North Dakota with help from cooperators in these areas who provided access to their land and support for the research. Skone is currently securing 18 study sites for the 2011 field season, which will include a similar acreage of winter wheat as 2010. 

Research technicians will begin searching for duck nests in late April. The technicians will monitor the nests throughout the spring and summer to determine whether the hens successfully hatch their eggs. 

"Winter wheat can be a friendly crop for waterfowl because producers plant this crop in the fall, which means less disruption for waterfowl during peak nesting times," Walker said. "With the knowledge we gain from this research, DU and its conservation partners can design programs that provide economic benefits for landowners while helping to maintain healthy duck populations." 

Earlier research by Ducks Unlimited Canada found that nests in winter wheat were 24 times more likely to hatch than nests in spring-planted crops. This new research effort looks to confirm similar findings in the United States. 

Winter Cereals: Sustainability in Action seeks to expand the use of winter wheat as a cropping option for producers and nesting habitat for waterfowl. The initiative promotes a stewardship model for improving the agricultural productivity of farmland while retaining and improving the habitat values important to North America's waterfowl and other wildlife. 

About Ducks Unlimited 

Ducks Unlimited is the world's largest non-profit 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.

Additional information about Ducks Unlimited is available at: www.ducks.org.

Media contacts:
Jennifer P. Kross, 701-202-8896, jkross@ducks.org or Becky Jones Mahlum, 701-355-3507, bjonesmahlum@ducks.org

About Bayer CropScience

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health care, nutrition and high-tech materials. Bayer CropScience AG, a subsidiary of Bayer AG with annual sales of about EUR 5.8 billion (2007), is one of the world's leading innovative crop science companies in the areas of crop protection, non-agricultural pest control, seeds and plant biotechnology. The company offers an outstanding range of products and extensive service backup for modern, sustainable agriculture and for non-agricultural applications. Bayer Crop¬Science has a global workforce of about 17,800 and is represented in more than 120 countries. 

Further information on Bayer CropScience Canada is available at: www.bayercropscience.ca.

Media contact:
Beth Roden, 919-549-2030, beth.roden@bayercropscience.com