Ecology And Management Of The Wood Duck

Reference on the wood duck includes basic biology, life history, population characteristics, and research and management techniques.

Various ecological and biological aspects of the wood duck (Aix sponsa)were investigated in the elm-ash-maple (Ulmus-Fraxinus- Acer) bottomland timber impoundments at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge in central New York. Major areas of research included (a) a description of the forest stand with special reference to the ecological impact of seasonal impoundment, (b) the pattern of occurrence and use of natural nest cavities by wood ducks, (c) the nesting response of wood ducks to nest boxes, (d) an investigation of dump nesting, (e) mark-recapture estimates of annual duckling production, (f) a study of vernal pool invertebrates, and (g) a study of brood usage and survival. Spring flooded green timber was found to produce ideal breeding habitat for wood ducks in providing ample acceptable nest cavities (1.60 per acre)and an abundance of early spring (vernal pool) invertebrate food resources, including fairy shrimp (Chirocephalopsis bundyi), cladocerans (Daphnia pulex), mosquito lar.

The best-selling and authoritative reference book on waterfowl has been fully revised and updated by one of the world’s most respected waterfowl biologists. Honorable Mention for the PROSE Award for Excellence, Multivolume/Science of the Association of American Publishers Ducks, Geese, and Swans of North America has been hailed as a classic since the first edition was published in 1942. A must-have for professional biologists, birders, waterfowl hunters, decoy collectors, and wildlife managers, this fully revised and updated edition provides definitive information on the continent's forty-six species. Maps of both winter and breeding ranges are presented with stunning images by top waterfowl photographers and the acclaimed original artwork of Robert W. (Bob) Hines. Originally authored by F. H. Kortright and later revised by Frank Bellrose, this latest edition, which has been meticulously updated by renowned waterfowl biologist Guy Baldassarre, continues the legacy of esteemed authors. Each species account contains in-depth sections on: • identification • distribution • migration behavior • habitat • population status • breeding biology • rearing of young • recruitment and survival • food habits and feeding ecology • molts and plumages • conservation and management To facilitate identification, the species accounts also include detailed illustrations of wings. An appendix contains comparative illustrations of ducklings, goslings, and cygnets. This edition of Ducks, Geese, and Swans consists of two volumes, printed in full color, and packaged in a slipcase, along with a CD containing references and additional maps.

A century ago, many people had given up on the wood duck, dooming it to extinction along with the passenger pigeon and Carolina parakeet. Today, it’s one of the most familiar and most harvested ducks in the eastern half of the country, and one of America’s great conservation success stories. In With Wings Extended, Minnesota conservationist Greg Hoch introduces readers to a duck they probably recognize but may not know well. This book shows how almost anyone can get involved in conservation and do something for wildlife beyond writing checks to conservation organizations. Hoch illustrates the complexities of wildlife and habitat management that landowners as well as state and federal wildlife agencies deal with on a daily basis, and takes readers through the life stages of what is largely considered the most beautiful duck in the world. In this fascinating and practical read, Hoch blends the historical literature about the species with modern science, and also shows how our views of conservation have changed over the last century.