Species-Specific Management (SSM)

American Black Duck

American black ducks (Anas rubripes) are a prominent and economically important migratory bird of North America and Canada. At present, they have been placed on a list of birds of priority concern in the North American Wildlife Management Plan because of long-term decline in populations. The duck is highly prized by hunters and birdwatchers and serves as an indicator species of a healthy environment. Research suggests that decreasing black duck populations result from habitat change and loss, possible overharvesting, and hybridization with and competition by mallards.

There is still much to learn about this species of waterfowl through research. With present knowledge, the following is what can be done to enhance and possibly enlarge American black duck populations and benefits from them.

1. Terminate mallard releases throughout the known black duck range.
2. Encourage that more stringent regulations be imposed on hunting of black ducks until research has concluded whether or not overharvest is the cause of population declines.
3. Provide and protect large areas of woodland edge and marshlands with plenty of available water.
   • Nesting cover of honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) and poison ivy (Rhus radicans), are favored but reeds and tall grasses will be used as well.
   • Areas should be large enough to provide space for no more than 2 nests per hectare.
4. Ideal cover is said to be 40% open water, but this can be less if good forage is available year around (see #6).
5. Black ducks prefer shallow ponds since they are dabblers and will feed by skimming their bills through the mud. Therefore, plants existing in 3-6 inches of water are favored. Fall foods in order of preference are: bullrushes, smartweeds, wild celery, corn, wheat, acorns, pondweeds, and spike rushes.
6. Since shallow waters often freeze in winter, leaving corn stubble, soybean waste, or spreading millet will help black ducks since they would starve rather than move again after migrating.
7. Black ducks readily use acorns. Flooding level oak stands will provide optimum foraging habitat. Fields of corn, soybean, and oats may also be flooded.
   • If you practice flooding, make sure the water level does not exceed 15 inches or it will be undesirable for the duck.
   • Drain the area right after hunting season to keep ducks from ingesting disposed lead shot.
   • Check with the county agricultural agent on proper times to flood and laws concerning this practice on your land.
8. Some lands can be drained to provide other foraging habitat. Make sure the water level can be maintained throughout the breeding season since black duck hens will abandon nests that have been flooded.
9. If you are managing in coastal areas or near freshwater bodies that support mollusk populations, some management of these shellfish should be done as well. They are important black duck food.
10. If natural water areas already exist in your area, protect them from grazers. Erect fences around ponds and streams leaving no less than 50 feet between the fence and the shore. This allows room for ducks to nest and keeps grazers from muddying waters and trampling eggs.
11. Provide submerged logs and shrubby sandbars or islands for loafing and preening areas.
12. Keep pesticide use to a minimum in springtime since black ducks feed largely on small reptiles and amphibians that are attracted to high insect populations. Insects also provide high protein diets to black duck ducklings (see #20 and #21).
13. In areas where duck populations are high, predators should be curtailed.
14. Common predators of the black duck are raptors, minks and other mustelids, red foxes, and eastern coyotes. Eliminating these species will increase egg and fledgling survival rates.
15. Avoid using large mowing and farming machines. These not only destroy nests, but expose eggs and nestlings to predators (see #15).
16. Allow for the widening of edge areas between woodland and fields, and between marshes and fields. Wider zones keep predators from sweeping narrow edge areas clean of nests.
17. When patrolling your lands, look for dead birds and dispose of carcasses properly. This will help prevent spread of avian cholera, the leading bird disease in the Chesapeake Bay region.
18. Viral enteritis is known to be carried by captive-raised birds so this is another reason to prevent release of birds or ducks into black duck habitat.
19. Reducing black flies will help decrease the spread of the blood parasite Liococytozoon somondi.
20. Mosquito populations should be controlled around waterways inhabited by the black duck.
21. Prescribed burning may be used effectively in eastern marshes to reduce annual and perennial growth, release nutrients, and increase seed availability.
    • This should not be done after March 1 to avoid burning nests.
    • Burning may require permission.
22. Continue observations of all black ducks on your property year-round to ensure catching unforeseeable problems before they arise. Consider using a duck call to attract birds or to sample them. (
23. Make notes on successes and failures and share your findings to that improvements may be made.

A contribution of Lori B. Neiverth and Pamela J. Shaffer (1993), Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0321

See also (1999): The U.S. Geological Survey National Wetlands Research Center in Lafayette, LA is now serving two bibliographic databases maintained in Procite software using Web Poster.

Duckdata is a comprehensive bibliographic database for waterfowl. The database is maintained at the U.S. Geologic Survey office in Vicksburg, MS. The database is carefully maintained with verified citations.

The NWRC publications list is a database of all publications published by the center.

You may select either databases or search a combination of the databases from a Quick search or Advanced search.

http://eeirc.nwrc.gov/ris/risweb.isa

See the Black Duck Joint Venture website

This Web site is maintained by R. H. Giles, Jr.
Last revision January 17, 2000.