UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



BULLETIN No. 794 



L*i^» Contribntionfrom the Bureau of Biological Survey "^ 





Contribntion from the Bureau of Biological Survey 

 E. W. NELSON, Chief 



SSJS^'^^U 



Washington, D. C. 



PROFESSIONAL PAPER. 



March 23, 1920 



WATERFOWL AND THEIR FOOD PLANTS IN 

 THE SANDHILL REGION OF NEBRASKA. 



By Harry C. Oberholser and W. L. McAtee, Assistant Bi 



CONTENTS. 



Gbnebal Introduction 



Part I. — Waterfowl in Nebraska : 



Introduction 



Effect of Federal protective 



laws 



Future of waterfowl in the sand- 

 hill region 



Natural enemies 



Hunting grounds 



Waterfowl hunting in the autumn 



of 1915 



General description of the sand- 

 hill region 



Page. 

 1 



10 



Part I — Continued. 



Annotated list of birds 



Game birds 



Nongame birds 



Part II. — Wild-Duck Foods of the 

 Sandhill Region of Nebraska : 



Introduction 



Improvement of the wild- 

 duck food supply 



Effect of alkaline conditions 



on duck-food plants 



List of plants of the sandhill 



lakes 



List of lakes visited 



Page. 



22 

 22 

 31 



37 



38 



38 



40 

 40 



GENERAL INTRODUCTION. 



Throughout the United States the draining of marshes and shallow 

 lakes has proved during recent years a menace to the preservation of 

 waterfowl. Many of these lakes were formerly the homes of count- 

 less wild fowl during both the breeding season and the migrations, 

 but so general has the draining of lakes and marshes become that the 

 remaining available resorts for these birds are becoming more and 

 more limited. It is of the greatest importance, therefore, that accu- 

 rate knowledge regarding the condition of the present breeding and 

 wintering grounds be secured, in order that steps may be taken before 

 it is too late to conserve the remaining supply of waterfowl inhabit- 

 ing these areas. In view of the constant diminution in the numbers 

 of our waterfowl and the consequent menace to the continuance of 

 duck hunting as a sport, as well as to the very existence of the birds 

 themselves, the protection of waterfowl on their breeding grounds 

 becomes a matter of prime necessity. 



The Biological Survey has long recognized this need, and is 

 making etforts to ascertain the exact conditions prevailing on the 



120368°— 20— Bull. 794 1 



