The leaves, stems, rootstalks, and seeds 
of various submerged plants were the princi- 
pal foods in all series. Several species of 
pondweed and naiad were taken in large 
quantities in the fresh estuarine bays (table 
97). In brackish estuarine bays (table 98), 
claspingleaf pondweed and eelgrass were the 
more important species; fair amounts of 
widgeongrass and cornmon waterweed and con- 
siderable quantities of corn used as bait also 
were taken. In the salt estuarine bays (table 
99), bait corn and sorghum were eaten most 
commonly; various natural foods, including 
eelgrass, also were taken. The single Redhead 
collected in Prince Georges County had fed 
chiefly on midge larvae (Chironomidae), 
Local Distribution of Hunting Kill 
Information concerning the local distribu- 
tion of the hunting kill of Redheads within 
the Upper Chesapeake region was obtained 
through an analysis of the distribution of 482 
weighted recoveries of birds that had been 
banded outside Maryland and Virginia (table 
100), These recoveries were reported during 
the years 1950-58. The number per year 
ranged from 16 in 1950 and 1953 to 173 in 
1956, 
The Chester River, Lower Eastern Shore, 
Eastern Bay, and Choptank River sections 
apparently are the important kill areas for 
Redheads. Approximately 73% of the total kill 
was from the brackish and salt estuarine 
bays along the eastern shore, 17% from the 
fresh and slightly brackish estuarine bays in 
the northern portions of Chesapeake Bay, 9% 
from the brackish estuarine bays along the 
western shore, and 1% from the coastal salte 
water bays. The greater local concentrations 
of the kill were in the central and lower 
portions of the Chester River, in the upper 
part of Eastern Bay, and in the Honga River 
area. Kill data arranged by months showed 
that 13% was in November, 46% in December, 
and 41% in January. 
Harvest Areas of Birds Banded in Upper 
Chesapeake Region 
Data concerning harvest areas of Redheads 
banded in the Chester River, Eastern Bay, 
Hooper Island, Solomons, and Gibson Island 
areas during the years 1953-58 came from 
572 indirect recoveries (table 101). Slightly 
more than half of the 91 birds banded in winter 
and a little less than half of the 481 banded 
in spring were takenin the Mid-Atlantic States, 
About two-fifths of the birds banded in winter 
and one third of those banded in spring were 
killed in Maryland alone, Other important 
harvest areas were in the easternGreat Lakes 
area and in the North Central States, The 
greatest concentrations of kill in these two 
areas were in Michigan and Minnesota, 
49 
A more comprehensive analysis of recovery 
data of Redheads banded in Maryland, including 
studies of the chronology of migration, sex 
and age ratios, and mortality rates, was re- 
ported by Longwell and Stotts (1958). 
RING-NECKED DUCK 
Aythya collaris (Donovan) 
Ring-necked Ducks are fairly common spring 
transients through the Upper Chesapeake re- 
gion, although they are rather local. Somewhat 
fewer birds stop off during the fall flight, and 
a few flocks usually remain during the winter. 
January inventories for the years 1953-58 
show that the Upper Chesapeake wintering 
population ranged from zero in 1954 and 1958 
to 6,000 in 1956, averaged approximately 2,400, 
This average figure represents about 1% of 
the continental wintering population and about 
2% of the Atlantic population. The fall migra- 
tion usually is during the period October 5-15 
to December 1-10, with the peak between 
October 25 and November 30. The normal 
spring migration extends from February 10-20 
to May 1-10, with the peak between February 
20 and April 5, 
Habitats 
Wintering Ring-necked Ducks are often found 
on moderately brackish estuarine bays such 
as those in the Chester River, Choptank 
River, and Central Western Shore sections. 
However, during periods of mild weather, 
many of them often move to fresh or slightly 
brackish estuarine bays, fresh estuarine bay 
marshes, or interior impoundments. 
During the spring and fall migration periods, 
Ring-necked Ducks seem to prefer fresh or 
slightly brackish estuarine bays and interior 
impoundments. Considerable numbers of mi- 
grants are also distributed over the fresh 
estuarine bay marshes of the Blackwater- 
Nanticoke section, and over estuarine river 
marshes throughout the region. 
Biogeographic Sections 
The average distribution of Ring-necked 
Ducks during the January inventories of 1955- 
58 is shown in table 102. The Blackwater- 
Nanticoke section apparently is usually the 
most important wintering area; within this 
section, nearly all the Ring-necked Ducks 
were concentrated in the upper Blackwater 
marsh, 
Seasonal distribution of the Ring-necked 
Duck populations in tidewater areas during 
the 1958-59 season is shown in table 103. 
Largest populations were in the region during 
the spring flight, a fact borne out by other 
