V-B-26 



LaHart, D.E., and G.W. Cornwell. 1970. Habitat preference and survival 



of Florida duck broods. Proceedings of the twenty-fourth annual conference 

 of the Southeastern Association of Game and Fish Commissioners, 

 pp. 117-121. 



Florida duck broods were captured and banded by nightlighting in 

 fresh, salt, and brackish water habitats. Ducklings were most frequently 

 observed in brackish water areas. Duckling survival, as determined by 

 brood size observations, was lower than in other mallard subspecies. 

 Most duckl ing. mortal ity occurs immediately after hatching. Ducklings 

 are very terrestrial , a trait that reduces exposure to an abundance 

 of predators associated with Florida's aquatic environments. 



The most productive Florida duck brood habitat is the brackish water 

 marshes on Merritt Island and Sanibel. Needlerush ( Juncus roemerianus ) , 

 salt grass, and cord grass ( Spartina bakeri ) are characteristic 

 emergents; spiny naiad ( Najas marina ) and widgeon grass ( Ruppia maritima ) 

 are the common submergents. The highest concentration of Florida ducks 

 was found in the large, brackish water impoundment immediately north of 

 the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center on Merritt 

 Island. (A. A. and G.S.) 



Keywords: duck broods, habitat preference, coastal marshes, Florida 



V-B-27 



Kerwin, J. A., and L.G. Webb. 1971. Foods of ducks wintering in coastal 

 South Carolina, 1965-1967. Proceedings of the twenty-fifth annual 

 conference of the Southeastern Association of Game and Fish 

 Commissioners, pp. 223-245. 



During the wintering seasons of 1965-1967, 706 waterfowl gizzards 

 were collected and subsequent food habit studies were made. The 

 collections represented 14 species of waterfowl (9 species of 

 dabblers and 5 species of divers). Six hundred and five collections 

 constituted the dabbling duck sample and 101 gizzards represented 

 the diving duck sample. The most important foods consumed were from 

 fresh and slightly brackish water habitats. Seeds of marsh plants 

 and vegetative fragments and seeds of pondweeds were the primary foods 

 consumed. Animal foods in the diet were not considered important. 

 The most important food consumed by volume by dabbling ducks was 

 Najas guadalupensis . The most important food consumed by volume 

 by diving ducks was Brasenia schreberi . The plant most frequently 

 used by dabblers was Scirpus validus , while the plant most frequently 

 used by diving ducks was Brasenia schreberi . (A. A.) 



Keywords: ducks, food preference. South Carolina 



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