Wabash River Waterfowl Research

Well before the sun rose on the Wabash Valley, the quacks, grunts and chirps of ducks permeated the southeast Illinois wetland. It was a cold March morning, just above freezing, but the ducks had been flocking to that wetland for a few days, already on their migration north. Sitting in a blind about 50 yards away from the water’s edge were Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) graduate research assistant Ben Williams and his crew, watching and waiting.

Each spring, waterfowl migrate from their wintering grounds in the south to their breeding grounds in the north. In the Wabash Valley, thousands of ducks and geese stop to rest and refuel before making their next jump north.

Illinois has a rich history of waterfowl research, dating back to the 1930s at the Forbes Biological Station in Havana. Many duck studies have been conducted at Forbes, which houses the Frank C. Bellrose Waterfowl Research Center, and within the Illinois and Mississippi River valleys. Recently, more attention has been given to the Wabash River Valley, which carves the southern border of Illinois and Indiana, especially as it relates to spring migration.

“It all comes down to water on the landscape,” said Williams. “This region floods often in the spring, and there’s just so many places for ducks to forage and rest in wetlands, flooded timber and flooded agricultural fields.”

Williams’ study aims to analyze patterns of ducks along the Wabash River during spring migration. Information regarding stopover duration and habitat use can direct future conservation efforts and help maximize funding in the area.

“We want to know how long they stop here and what they’re doing while they are here,” Williams explained.

To do this, for the past two springs Williams and his crew captured spring migrating mallards and American green-winged teal and studied their movements. They captured the ducks using bait and rocket propelled nets that launch at the press of a button and carry the net up and over the ducks before they can fly away.

Once captured, the crew examined and recorded data on each individual, and outfitted them with an aluminum leg band and radio transmitter with a unique frequency. Attached using sutures, glue, wires or a combination, the transmitter fits on the back between the wings, allowing the duck normal range of motion.

After recording metrics, the ducks were released. The crew used antennas and telemetry equipment to dial in those unique frequencies and track ducks around the Wabash Valley, locating individuals and recording the type of habitat it was using. Ultimately, the duck would migrate out of the region and the signal would go silent.

Currently, data acquired over the past two years is being analyzed and discussed. Knowing the stopover duration and frequented habitats of spring migrating ducks will help waterfowl managers make decisions to provide the required resources in the Wabash Valley.