62 
EIENNAL REPORT 
bill, Redhead and Canvas-back could be seen skimming the water or taking 
a flight south to the big lake. In the shallows were Pintail, Mallard, Widgeon, 
Gadwall and Blue-winged Teal in ones and twos as they do not come north in 
very large numbers until warm weather. Green-winged Teal and Spoonbill were 
flying everywhere. Ducks to the right and ducks to the left every way you turn. 
In 1883 Heron Lake was indeed a Sportman’s Paradise. 
“Among the deep water ducks during the spring the Redhead and Blue-bill 
were about equal in numbers. Close behind came Canvas-backs. Of shoal water 
ducks the Blue-winged Teal was not common in spring until late in April. Mal¬ 
lard, Pintail and Gadwall were the most plentiful in the order named. During 
the fall Redhead were most numerous, followed closely by Blue-winged Teal and 
Gadwall, the last named being very plentiful fifteen years ago. The repeating 
shot gun and an influx of hunters from all over the United States have made sad 
havoc. As I write there are seven hunters here from other states who have been 
shooting steadily since September 1st. and will be here until it freezes up and the 
ducks have gone south. Of late years residents here get very little shooting, these 
non-resident hunters being on the lake from daylight ’til dark and having every 
likely location taken up. 
“The present fall of 1898 Redhead and Canvas-back with Blue-winged Teal 
are affording the principal shooting. If it were not for the first two named, hunting 
here would be very little worth while. The Gadwall, once so plentiful, is now 
very scarce. Mallard and Pintail with Spoonbill are still with us but in sadly 
diminished numbers. To restore wild fowl shooting to its old condition of fifteen 
years ago requires that something shall be done and that speedily.” 
Mergansers, Fish Ducks or Smv-bills. 
The three species of North American Mergansers are all found in Minnesota. 
The American Merganser, Goosander, Big Fish Duck or Big Saw-bill and the 
somewhat smaller Red-breasted Merganser are summer residents only in the 
northern parts of the state. Being hardy birds they often remain through the 
winter wherever there is open water, especially on Lake Superior. The common 
and well known Hooded Merganser, Little Fish Duck or Little Saw-bill breeds 
throughout the state and is occasionally found in winter. 
The food of these ducks is largely fish and as they are scarcely edible, they 
are of little economic value, but not necessarily harmful to man’s interests. It may 
be stated in this connection that most fish-eating birds consume chiefly small kinds 
of fish that devour the eggs and fry of more valuable species, so that limiting the 
abundance of the former kinds is really a benefit to man. 
River or Surface-Feeding Ducks. 
Nine species belonging to this group are of regular occurrence in Minnesota. 
They are the Mallard, Black Duck (here called the Black or Dusky Mallard), 
Gadwall or Gray Duck, Baldpate or Widgeon, Green-winged Teal, Blue-winged 
Teal, Shoveler or Spoonbill, Pintail and Wood Duck. All except the Black Mal¬ 
lard and Baldpate breed in the state. They are all valuable as food, as objects 
of legitimate sport and as destroyers of noxious weeds, insects, etc. Their habit 
of feeding in shallow water and tipping up to procure their food from the bottom 
