Skip to main content

Duck Population Looking Strong

Duck Population Looking Strong
(Photo credit Lynn Burkhead)

The preliminary estimate for the total duck population is 49.2 million birds, an 8 percent increase over last year's estimate of 45.6 million birds, and 43 percent above the long-term average.

The report provides abundance estimates for individual duck species, including the following:

• Estimated mallard abundance is 10.9 million birds, similar to last year's estimate of 10.4 million birds and 42 percent above the long-term average.
• Blue-winged teal estimated abundance is 8.5 million, which is 10 percent above the 2013 estimate of 7.7 million, and 75 percent above the long-term average.
• The northern pintail estimate of 3.2 million was similar to last year's estimate of 3.3 million and remains 20 percent below the long-term average.
• American wigeon were 18 percent above the 2013 estimate and 20 percent above the long-term average.
• The combined (lesser and greater) scaup estimate of 4.6 million was similar to 2013 and 8 percent below the long-term average of 5 million.
• The canvasback estimate of 685,000 was slightly lower than the 2013 estimate of 787,000 but 18 percent above the long-term average.

Habitat conditions assessed during the survey were mostly improved or similar to last year as a result of average to above-average annual precipitation.

The 2014 Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Canadian Wildlife Service encompasses more than 2 million square miles of waterfowl habitat across Alaska, north-central and northeastern United States, and south-central, eastern and northern Canada.

The annual Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey guides the Service's waterfowl conservation programs under authority of the 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Waterfowl population surveys and monitoring programs are critical components of successful waterfowl management and a reflection of the Service's commitment to generating high-quality scientific data to inform conservation planning.




GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

Packing all of your essentials is a necessity when heading out to camp. But you must have a vehicle to get everything fr...
Hunting

Allen Hunt 1

Packing all of your essentials is a necessity when heading out to camp. But you must have a vehicle to get everything fr...
Hunting

Allen Hunt 2

Packing all of your essentials is a necessity when heading out to camp. But you must have a vehicle to get everything fr...
Hunting

Cooking

Packing all of your essentials is a necessity when heading out to camp. But you must have a vehicle to get everything fr...
Hunting

Draper Hunt 1

Packing all of your essentials is a necessity when heading out to camp. But you must have a vehicle to get everything fr...
Hunting

Draper Hunt 2

Packing all of your essentials is a necessity when heading out to camp. But you must have a vehicle to get everything fr...
Hunting

Kevin Steele - California Hunt #2

Packing all of your essentials is a necessity when heading out to camp. But you must have a vehicle to get everything fr...
Hunting

Kevin Steele - Patterning Your Turkey Hunt

Packing all of your essentials is a necessity when heading out to camp. But you must have a vehicle to get everything fr...
Hunting

Kevin Steele - California Hunt #1

Packing all of your essentials is a necessity when heading out to camp. But you must have a vehicle to get everything fr...
Hunting

Kali Parmley - Florida Turkey Slam #1

Packing all of your essentials is a necessity when heading out to camp. But you must have a vehicle to get everything fr...
Fishing

Bass Crash Course: How and When to Fish a Buzz Toad

Packing all of your essentials is a necessity when heading out to camp. But you must have a vehicle to get everything fr...
Destinations

Polaris – Pack Up and Play On

Game & Fish Magazine Covers Print and Tablet Versions

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save

Digital Now Included!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Give a Gift   |   Subscriber Services

PREVIEW THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

Buy Digital Single Issues

Magazine App Logo

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Get the Game & Fish App apple store google play store

Other Magazines

See All Other Magazines

Special Interest Magazines

See All Special Interest Magazines

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Get the top Game & Fish stories delivered right to your inbox every week.

Phone Icon

Get Digital Access.

All Game & Fish subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.

To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.

Get Digital Access

Not a Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Enjoying What You're Reading?

Get a Full Year
of Guns & Ammo
& Digital Access.

Offer only for new subscribers.

Subscribe Now

Never Miss a Thing.

Get the Newsletter

Get the top Game & Fish stories delivered right to your inbox every week.

By signing up, I acknowledge that my email address is valid, and have read and accept the Terms of Use