Cooperat i ve Waterfowl Research - 17-88-R 
Vol. 23, No. 3 
Page 5 
F. 
C. Bell rose, 
S. P. Havera 
The Cooperative Waterfowl Research Project will collate and analyze existing 
data on Illinois waterfowl and their ecology and present this material as a book 
entitled, "The V/aterfowl of Illinois: Their Status and Management." This 
endeavor will be a major contribution to waterfowl research and management. 
This project embraces analyses of waterfowl population censuses (1) in the 
Illinois River valley for over kO years, (2) in the Mississippi River valley for 
35 years, and (3) in other regions of Illinois for periods of 5-10 years. The 
status of waterfowl populations in Illinois during these time spans can be 
compared with that in the Mississippi Flyway and the nation. 
Past records of the waterfowl harvest in Illinois obtained from public 
shooting grounds and over 300 private clubs permit investigation of the regional 
importance of the waterfowl harvest in Illinois and evaluation of the effect of 
weather, population levels, and hunting regulations on bag limits. 
The Illinois Department of Conservation and the Illinois Natural History 
Survey have banded over 100,000 waterfowl. Analyses of the recoveries from 
these bandings would further delineate migration patterns and population 
survival. 
Data on the acreages and quality of wetlands in 111inois —their degradation 
and their enhancement—invite evaluation. Current important waterfowl food 
resources need to be identified along with factors that regulate their availability. 
A determined effort will be made to establish guidelines and priorities for 
future management of waterfowl habitat and populations in Illinois. 
Illinois is unique in having censused waterfowl populations longer than any 
other state and in requiring private clubs to keep records of their daily kill. 
Few states have banded as many waterfowl as Illinois or have as thoroughly 
documented the ecology of their wetlands. This material should be assembled in 
a compendium of facts relating to waterfowl management and research. Such a 
book would benefit waterfowl managers, researchers, naturalists, teachers, hunters, 
and bird watchers not only in Illinois but far outside its borders. It would 
provide information vital to flyway ar.d national management of waterfowl and 
would provide a firm foundation for future management and research in Illinois 
and the Midwest. 
Because of the wealth of material available, approximately 5 years will be 
needed to compile, interpret, and publish the information. 
