Experimental evaluation of duck nesting structures in Prairie Parkland Canada

Abstract

Abstract Overwater nesting structures for ducks have been used primarily to increase mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) production where success of ground-nesting hens was low (<15%), such as in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) in North America. However, managers have inquired about recommended numbers of nest structures for small wetlands (i.e., <2 ha) based on duck-production and benefit–cost evaluations, but such data were not available. Therefore, we conducted an experiment in the PPR in Manitoba, Canada, in 2001 and 2002 to test the effects of different treatment numbers of nest structures/wetland (1, 2, or 4) and wetland area (≤0.4 or 0.45–1.5 ha) on use of structures by nesting ducks, nest success, and number of ducklings produced, as well as to evaluate cost–benefits of the structures. Across duck species, mean use of structures by nesting hens increased 56% between years (F1,107 = 14.29, P <0.001); however, by year 2 use did not differ among treatment numbers of structures and averaged 78% (t157 =−0.15...