Summary 
Overall the long-term average of the Chesapeake Bay water- 
fowl during January has been 1 million birds. During the 1980s 
the average was still 1 million birds, although there were major 
changes in species composition. For example, Canada goose popu¬ 
lations during the 1980s were 75 percent higher than the average 
population prior to 1980. This is directly related to their 
ability to utilize the abundant field crop resources (mainly 
corn) on the Eastern Shore. 
Only the mallard and bufflehead populations during the 1980s 
are higher than their average populations during the 32-year 
period of 1948-79. All other species of ducks have shown signi¬ 
ficant declines, which seems to be directed related to the degra¬ 
dation of waterfowl habitat in the Chesapeake Bay. Duck popu¬ 
lations in the Chesapeake Bay can be expected to remain at low 
levels until SAV beds recover in the Bay and production improves 
on the breeding areas. 
Table 1. Range and Average Populations of 13 Waterfowl Species 
in Chesapeake Bay 1948-1986 as Determined by Aerial 
Winter Surveys. 
Species 
High Count 
(Year) 
Low Count 
(Year) 
39-Year 
Mean 
1980s 
Mean 
Tundra Swan 
75,854 
(1955) 
18,216 
(1948) 
36,710 
35,065 
Canada goose 
701,470 
(1981) 
62,130 
(1948) 
382,760 
590,335 
Black duck 
281,485 
(1955) 
28,820 
(1979) 
84,197 
51,365 
Mallard 
182,195 
(1956) 
8,235 
(1949) 
51,212 
57,553 
Wigeon 
144,350 
(1955) 
900 
(1984) 
29,246 
5,226 
Pintail 
78,211 
(1956) 
400 
(1970) 
16,282 
3,935 
Canvasback 
399,320 
(1954) 
34,300 
(1986) 
104,012 
52,931 
Redhead 
118,800 
(1956) 
800 
(1983) 
35,288 
3,506 
Scaup 
403,658 
(1954) 
10,700 
(1982) 
65,909 
29,973 
Goldeneye 
40,518 
(1956) 
2,445 
(1976) 
19,659 
17,513 
Bufflehead 
36,023 
(1977) 
2,502 
(1959) 
14,813 
16,840 
Ruddy duck 
124,740 
(1953) 
4,703 
(1976) 
33,642 
15,729 
Scoter 
130,900 
(1971) 
1,5511 
(1981) 
16,760 
6,565 
154 
