First documented case of overwater nesting by Mottled Ducks (Anas fulvigula)

Bonczek, Elizabeth S.; Ringelman, Kevin M.

doi:10.1676/18-130

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

References 13 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…meadows (Baker 1983, Stutzenbaker 1988); however, in areas of flooding mottled ducks may elevate their nests within vegetation or on plant litter (Finger et al 2003). In 1 study, mottled ducks also nested over water in flooded wetlands, specifically in marsh dominated by giant cutgrass ( Zizaniopsis milliaceae ), and built their nests up using residual vegetation (Bonczek and Ringelman 2019). Along the Mississippi River Delta and Atchafalaya River Delta, mottled ducks nested more than expected on islands, canal banks, pastures, and river levees in mixed grassland and shrub landscapes (Holbrook et al 2000, Walters et al 2001), which might take the place of the cordgrass meadows most frequently used in Texas (Stutzenbaker 1988) and southwest Louisiana (Baker 1983).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Breeding Ecology of Mottled Ducks: A Review

Bonczek

Ringelman

2021

J Wildl Manag

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Mottled ducks (Anas fulvigula) are endemic to the Gulf Coast of North America, and their range stretches from Alabama to the Laguna Madre of Mexico, with a distinct population in peninsular Florida and an introduced population in South Carolina. As one of the few non‐migratory ducks in North America, mottled ducks depend on a variety of locally available habitat throughout the annual cycle, and threats to these landscapes may affect mottled ducks more acutely than migratory species. Annual population monitoring has revealed declines in mottled duck populations in Texas and Louisiana since 2008, and the genetic integrity of the Florida population has been muddled by the presence of large numbers of feral mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) resulting in hybridization. Similar to other closely related dabbling ducks, mottled duck populations are influenced by recruitment and breeding season survival, so changes in these factors may contribute to population decline. Accordingly, researchers have attempted to address various aspects of mottled duck breeding season ecology and population dynamics since the 1950s. We conducted a literature review on this topic by searching a combination of key terms using Google Scholar, including mottled duck, nesting ecology, habitat use, breeding incidence, nest success, brood, and breeding season survival, and followed citation trees to eventually aggregate information from nearly 50 publications on mottled duck breeding ecology. Our review concluded that mottled ducks use brackish and intermediate coastal marsh, including managed impoundments, and agricultural land during the breeding season. Their nests can be found in pastures, levees, dry cordgrass marsh, cutgrass marsh, spoil banks, and small islands. Nesting propensity and nest success estimates are often lower than other waterfowl species that are characterized by stable or increasing populations. Broods use wetlands composed of a mix of open water with submerged and emergent vegetation. Breeding season survival is higher for the Florida population than the western Gulf Coast population, but adult survival in both geographies is comparable to (or higher than) that of other dabbling duck species. Breeding habitat use, breeding season survival, and nest‐site selection and success have been studied extensively in mottled ducks, whereas information on nesting propensity, renesting intensity, and post‐hatch ecology is lacking. © 2021 The Wildlife Society.

show abstract

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%