Increased Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) Breeding Activity in Minnesota

Buffleheads (Bucephala albeola) predominantly nest in the boreal forests and aspen parklands of Canada and Alaska. Historically, Buffleheads were common migrants but not summer residents in Minnesota. However, recent observations in Minnesota and surrounding states suggest increased breeding activity in the region. In 1978, the first Bufflehead brood in Minnesota was recorded at East Park Wildlife Management Area. Annually, Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) has conducted pair and brood surveys, with species-specific records available from 1990 to 2014. We report an increase in numbers of Bufflehead breeding pairs and broods at Agassiz NWR and new pair observations in surrounding areas.

Brood Surveys and Hunter Observations Used to Predict Gobbling Activity of Wild Turkeys in Mississippi

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks utilize data from turkey hunter observations and brood surveys from across the state to manage wild turkey Meleagris gallopavo populations. Since 1995, hunters have collected gobbling and jake observation data, while the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks' personnel and cooperating wildlife managers of several natural resource agencies throughout the state have collected brood survey data. Both sources of data serve to forecast poult recruitment and gobbling activity. The objective of this study was to evaluate if these data can serve as a viable predictor of gobbling activity. We used three mixed models to investigate the relationship between the number of jakes observed per hour of hunting 1 y prior and the total number of poults per hens 2 y prior (model 1), number of gobblers heard per hour of hunting and the number of jakes observed per hour of hunting 1 y prior (model 2), the number of gobblers heard per hour of hunting and the total number poults per total hens observed 2 y prior (model 3) using data from 1995 to 2008 among five wild turkey management regions encompassing the state. We incorporated region as a random effect to account for spatial variation. We found the number of jakes observed per hour of hunting 1 y prior correlated with the total number of poults per total hens observed 2 y prior. We also found the number of gobblers heard per hour of hunting correlated with the number of jakes observed per hour of hunting 1 y prior. Additionally, we found that the total poults per total hens observed 2 y prior was correlated to the number of gobblers heard per hour of hunting. Our results show promise for using indices of gobbling activity, jake observations, and brood surveys to estimate gobbling activity.

The Effect of Drought on Duckling Survival of Maned Ducks

Regular brood surveys on a population of maned ducks, Chenonetta jubata, in south-eastern Australia provided information on the timing of breeding, brood sizes, duckling survival and production for this species. Over three years (1981-83), most breeding was during the spring, ducklings hatching between late August and late November. Some autumn (March-May) breeding also occurred. Timing of breeding appeared to be more closely related to the abundance of food than to rainfall alone. There were clear differences in reproductive success between the drought year of 1982 and the two years of similar weather, 1981 and 1983. Breeding began later in 1982, with a mean hatch date of 18 � 5.1 November, compared with 7 � 3.6 October in 1981 and 21 � 5.1 September in 1983. Broods hatched over 43 days in 1982 compared with 69 days in 1981 and 101 days in 1983. Also, duckling survival was lowest in 1982, with about a 20% probability of survival to fledging compared with 89% in 1981 and 82% in 1983. Only six broods were found in 1982 compared with 33 in 1981 and 30 in 1983. An estimated 158 and 176 ducklings survived to fledging compared with seven in 1982. Brood sizes at hatching did not show the same clear annual differences. In 1981 and 1983 there were seasonal differences in brood size at hatching. Broods were smaller late in the season (4.1) compared with early (7.2) and mid-season (7.2). Broods were also larger in 1983 (7.2) than in 1981 (5.4). Brood size at hatching in 1982 was 6.0.