* By Phil Potter
EVANSVILLE — Being a successful mother isn't all it's "quacked up to be" if you're a Tri-sState hen mallard living in the shadow of civilization. Nesting here instead of heading to traditional Canadian breeding grounds is filled with many perils that migration usually leaves behind.
A hundred years ago, legions of waterfowl nested throughout Indiana and Illinois courtesy of vast swamps and marshlands. But little by little, waterfowl were pushed up and out. Those that stayed near cities have been termed "urban waterfowl" and in the Evansville area a dedicated group of waterfowl watchers are chronicling the perils of being urban ducks.
Several members of Waterfowl USA's Twin Bridges Chapter decided to make their lakes and ponds duck havens. They built wood duck boxes and floating mallard nesting platforms and stationed them on friendly waters, which are becoming fewer and far between.
City parks have started trimming away all protective shoreline cover around existing ditches, ponds and lakes. This includes Evansville's State Hospital park ponds that used to encourage ducks and people to interact in a friendly manner.
It is darkly rumored that some have employed "nuisance animal" controllers who are sniping the unwary waterfowl with high powered pellet guns during the wee hours of morning when no one is thought to be watching. But that isn't what's whacking duck numbers on WUSA waters.
According to one of WUSA's "duck daddies," tpredators are killing brooding hens or they are demolishing both first and second egg clutches before they get a chance to hatch.
The No. 1 predator of mature WUSA watched mallards is a villainous three-way tie between raccoons, foxes and feral house cats.
The champion egg eaters are coons, possums, foxes, skunks and snakes in that order. The varmints most responsible for duckling deaths are rated by the largest amounts consumed. In descending order are predatory fish (mainly bass and catfish), turtles, Cooper's hawks, blue herons, coons and big bullfrogs. Other documented duckling losses come from predation by dogs, cars, minks and Norway rats, all of which can effectively annihilate many or all they encounter.
Twin Bridges Chapter has always banded local ducks and last year got five band returns from hunters along with recovering several bands retrieved from birds killed by predation. Of the more than 400 ducklings and adults being watched, fewer than 100 were still alive by June 16, proving the deck is definitely stacked against urban waterfowl.
Add that several early mallard nests attempted at water's edges were flooded gives further proof that urban and assisted rural living for waterfowl just isn't what it's "quacked" up to be.
n The Pike County Bow Hunter's Association in conjunction with Sugar Ridge Fish & Wildlife Area will host a free youth archery eventfrom 8 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. June 7 at Sugar Ridge Area One located two miles west of State Road 61 on County Road 150 South.
Bow equipment will be provided but everyone is encouraged to bring their own. The event covers bow safety, shooting techniques and personal instruction by qualified instructors. After that a 3-D life size bow shoot takes place. Call 812-789-2724 and ask for Nate or Dave if you have questions.
EVANSVILLE — Being a successful mother isn't all it's "quacked up to be" if you're a Tri-sState hen mallard living in the shadow of civilization. Nesting here instead of heading to traditional Canadian breeding grounds is filled with many perils that migration usually leaves behind.
A hundred years ago, legions of waterfowl nested throughout Indiana and Illinois courtesy of vast swamps and marshlands. But little by little, waterfowl were pushed up and out. Those that stayed near cities have been termed "urban waterfowl" and in the Evansville area a dedicated group of waterfowl watchers are chronicling the perils of being urban ducks.
Several members of Waterfowl USA's Twin Bridges Chapter decided to make their lakes and ponds duck havens. They built wood duck boxes and floating mallard nesting platforms and stationed them on friendly waters, which are becoming fewer and far between.
City parks have started trimming away all protective shoreline cover around existing ditches, ponds and lakes. This includes Evansville's State Hospital park ponds that used to encourage ducks and people to interact in a friendly manner.
It is darkly rumored that some have employed "nuisance animal" controllers who are sniping the unwary waterfowl with high powered pellet guns during the wee hours of morning when no one is thought to be watching. But that isn't what's whacking duck numbers on WUSA waters.
According to one of WUSA's "duck daddies," tpredators are killing brooding hens or they are demolishing both first and second egg clutches before they get a chance to hatch.
The No. 1 predator of mature WUSA watched mallards is a villainous three-way tie between raccoons, foxes and feral house cats.
The champion egg eaters are coons, possums, foxes, skunks and snakes in that order. The varmints most responsible for duckling deaths are rated by the largest amounts consumed. In descending order are predatory fish (mainly bass and catfish), turtles, Cooper's hawks, blue herons, coons and big bullfrogs. Other documented duckling losses come from predation by dogs, cars, minks and Norway rats, all of which can effectively annihilate many or all they encounter.
Twin Bridges Chapter has always banded local ducks and last year got five band returns from hunters along with recovering several bands retrieved from birds killed by predation. Of the more than 400 ducklings and adults being watched, fewer than 100 were still alive by June 16, proving the deck is definitely stacked against urban waterfowl.
Add that several early mallard nests attempted at water's edges were flooded gives further proof that urban and assisted rural living for waterfowl just isn't what it's "quacked" up to be.
n The Pike County Bow Hunter's Association in conjunction with Sugar Ridge Fish & Wildlife Area will host a free youth archery eventfrom 8 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. June 7 at Sugar Ridge Area One located two miles west of State Road 61 on County Road 150 South.
Bow equipment will be provided but everyone is encouraged to bring their own. The event covers bow safety, shooting techniques and personal instruction by qualified instructors. After that a 3-D life size bow shoot takes place. Call 812-789-2724 and ask for Nate or Dave if you have questions.
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