American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) W.C. Joe Johnson
Wayne Co., MI. 1/27/2009 © Jerry Jourdan
(Click to view a comparison of Atlas I to II)
The American Black Duck may need more a 77% decline. While the hours of effort between the two atlases increased by about 10% than our invested dollars to restore habitat. in the UP, declined by 14% in NLP and declined Once very abundant from Ontario through by about 9% in the SLP, they do not seem to be Quebec and the Maritimes in Canada, and from strongly related to the dramatic decreases in Minnesota through the entire Great Lakes states, observations of Black Ducks. through New York to our east coast from Maine to North Carolina, this species has declined On a broader scale, atlas workers during MBBA substantially, especially in the Western portion I were able to confirm nesting in 41 of of its historical breeding range (Longcore et al. Michigan’s 83 counties, but during MBBA II 2000). they were only able to confirm nesting in 19
counties. Black Ducks seem to be in a serious Distribution decline in Michigan as well as Wisconsin, Ohio, In Michigan this duck remains sparsely New York, and parts of Ontario (Peterjohn and distributed. MBBA II data suggests the Rice 1991, Cutright et al. 2006, Ross 2007, population may have declined in Michigan by Swift 2008). over 50% in the last 20 years. There seems to be evidence that the Black Duck’s distribution Breeding Biology has also changed between atlases. During Land use changes, including wetland drainage, MBBA I atlas workers observed this species in degradation, deforestation, increased 285 (15%) of Michigan townships, while during agricultural activity and urbanization have MBBA II they observed this species in only 129 altered historical breeding habitats (Longcore et. (6.7%) townships, a dramatic 55% decline. al. 2000). The abundant Mallard may be During MBBA I, this species was observed in responsible for displacing and hybridizing with 133 townships in the UP and in only 79 Black Ducks (Ankney et al. 1987). Increased townships in MBBA II, a 41% decline. In the human disturbance may be affecting breeding NLP, observations dropped from 66 to 29 Black Ducks as Longcore (2000) cited several townships, a 57% decline. In the SLP, instances of nest desertion caused by humans. observations dropped from 86 to 20 townships,
© 2011 Kalamazoo Nature Center American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) W.C. Joe Johnson
We now are active on our residential lakes from Black Ducks are not considered a common ice-out to ice-in; years ago there were only breeding duck and are a species of special cottages that were used from Memorial Day to concern found in only 6.63% of quads (Cutright Labor Day. Many new housing developments et al. 2006). Black Ducks were never common are centered on large wetlands and the resulting in Indiana and were reported from only 1% of human activity and pets may discourage Black 647 blocks (Castrale et al. 1998). In Ohio the Ducks from nesting. Black Duck was formerly a locally common summer resident. There have been substantial Abundance and Population Trends declines there however, and they were only According to Pirnie (1935) and Wood (1951), reported in 1.8% of blocks (Peterjohn and Rice the American Black Duck was the most 1991). In Ontario this species remains stable at abundant breeding duck in Michigan during the about 20 pairs/l00 km square (about the size of a middle of the 19th century. Black Ducks are not 36 square mile township) in northern areas encountered on Michigan BBS routes, and no (Cadman et al. 2007). However in SW Ontario data is available from this monitoring program. there were estimated to be 11.7 pairs/100km Since 1992, the DNR has been flying 22 aerial square in 1971 and this had dropped to 6.7 pairs transects annually to survey breeding waterfowl by 1995 (Ross 2007). In New York, this species in Michigan. During MBBA II, the average was confirmed nesting in 21% of blocks during number of Black Ducks surveyed was 4,000 and their first atlas (Andrle and Carroll 1988). By ranged from a low of 2,000 to a high of 9,000 their second atlas they were only confirmed in (MI-DNR unpubl. data). A remarkable contrast 14% of blocks, a nearly 50% decrease (Swift to the average of 276,000 Mallards recorded on 2008). the same transects during MBBA II. There does not seem to be a clear reason for the dramatic Conservation Needs population declines in the Great Lakes region. Longcore et al. (2000) stated that acid rain and environmental contaminants are no longer The Mid-winter waterfowl survey is another considered a threat to Black Ducks; however reasonable index of annual numbers of Black habitat loss, degradation, human disturbance, Ducks (Longcore et al. 2000). In the and hybridization with Mallards seem to have Mississippi Flyway (a group of 15 states on led to dramatic declines since the 1950s. It either side of the Mississippi River), the average remains unknown which factors are having the number of Black Ducks counted from 1955 to largest impact on Black Duck declines. 1960 was 205,000; from 1981 to 1985 the average was 74,400 and from 2001 to 2005 the Restrictive harvest regulations should continue average was 30,000 (Fronczak 2009). The data to be evaluated. Efforts for restoring wetlands suggests a dramatic decline in Black Ducks in and improving wetland quality, especially on the western portion of their breeding range. In the wintering grounds, are ongoing. Current the Atlantic Flyway, which is the eastern portion research is focused on habitat quality on the of this duck’s breeding range, the winter survey wintering grounds to determine if Black Ducks numbers declined until the 1980s and have now are getting enough nutrition to ensure successful stabilized at a little over 200,000 (Swift 2008, Fronczak nesting. 2009). This index does not include many, many thousands of Black Ducks surveyed in Canada.
Reports from other Great Lakes breeding bird atlases are not encouraging. In Wisconsin,
© 2011 Kalamazoo Nature Center American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) W.C. Joe Johnson
Literature Cited Ministry of Natural Resources, and Ontario Nature. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Andrle, R.F., and J.R. Carroll, editors. 1988. Swift, B. 2008. American Black Duck (Anas The Atlas of Breeding Birds in New York rubripes). Pages 100-101 in K.J. McGowan, State. Cornell University Press. Ithaca, and K. Corwin, editors. The Second Atlas New York, USA. of Breeding Birds in New York State. Ankney, C.D., D.G. Dennis, and R.C. Riley. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York, 1987. Increasing Mallards, decreasing USA. American Black Ducks: coincidence or Wood, N.A. 1951. The Birds of Michigan. cause and effect? Journal of Wildlife Miscellaneous Publication 75. University of Management 51: 523-529. Michigan Museum of Zoology. Ann Arbor, Castrale, J.S., E.M. Hopkins, and C.E. Keller. Michigan, USA. 1998. Atlas of Breeding Birds of Indiana. Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Suggested Citation Division of Fish and Wildlife, Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program. Indianapolis, Johnson, W.C.J. 2011. American Black Duck Indiana, USA. (Anas rubripes). In A.T. Chartier, J.J. Baldy, Cutright, N.J., B.R. Harriman, and R.W. Howe, and J.M. Brenneman, editors. The Second editors. 2006. Atlas of the Breeding Birds Michigan Breeding Bird Atlas. Kalamazoo of Wisconsin. Wisconsin Society for Nature Center. Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA. Ornithology. Waukesha, Wisconsin, USA. Accessed online at:
© 2011 Kalamazoo Nature Center