WILD DUCKS OF THE BEAR RIVER MARSHES, UTAH. 19 
In a conservative enumeration made during May and June, 1916, 
of the eleven species of breeding ducks, 3,650 pairs were counted, 
and it is believed that this number represents between 60 and 100 
per cent of the total number of breeding ducks occurring there that 
season. Allowing 5 young reared to maturity as the average for 
each pair, and considering 1916 as an average season, it may be 
stated that between 25,000 and 30,000 wild ducks native to the marsh 
are to be found there at the close of the breeding period. 
In addition, a large number of other ducks come in after the nest- 
ing season in order to molt, and, after renewing their feathers, to 
rest in the shelter of the marshes until fall. These nonbreeding 
birds appear during the first part of June and are present in large 
numbers by the first of July. They increase through July and 
August, but during the first week in September a large proportion 
migrate to other regions. Other ducks continue to come in from the 
north, however, and by the opening of the hunting season on 
October 1, a full complement again is present. 
Of the duck foods attractive to these birds, two plants, the sago 
pondweed and the tule,-or baj^onet grass, both occurring in abun- 
dance, furnish a large part of the vegetable portion ; in all, 49 plants 
were found available as duck foods. In addition, the brine shrimp 
and the immature stages of the alkali flies, both of which swarm in 
the salt water below the marsh, are relished by certain ducks. 
Though in other localities it has been possible in many instances to 
add certain growths to the species already present, the food plants 
occurring on the Bear River marshes seem to comprise the most 
valuable of those capable of being propagated under the prevail- 
ing alkaline conditions of soil and water. Wild celery might form 
a useful addition, but its introduction would be in the nature of an 
experiment. 
The practice of burning the marsh in fall and winter destroys 
the seeds held in the seed heads of the tules, a valuable supply of 
food available to the ducks when they return to the marsh in spring. 
Cutting wild hay along the banks of the river and the larger over- 
flows before July 20 lays "nests open to attack or may destroy them, 
together with the brooding birds. This damage would be obviated 
if haying were begun later, or if a strip at least 100 feet wide were 
left uncut along the stream banks. These measures should be taken 
where possible. Among other factors contributing to the destruc- 
tion of ducks may be mentioned magpies, coyotes, and the domestic 
cats which run wild on the marsh, and California and ring-billed 
gulls. The gulls kill many ducks helpless from the duck sickness 
that otherwise might recover, and in addition are more or less of a 
nuisance in the shooting season, as they attack and mutilate many 
ducks that have been killed by hunters. 
