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Publications

USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center staff publish results of their research in USGS series reports and in peer-reviewed journals. Publication links are below.  Information on all USGS publications can be found at the USGS Publications Warehouse.

Filter Total Items: 1902

Mate preference in wild and domesticated (game-farm) mallards (Anas platyrhynchos): I. Initial preference

Wild and game-farm mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) raised in pure strain and mixed groups were tested for initial mate preference in a choice test. Female mallards showed no significant preference but males of either strain raised with females of their own strain significantly preferred female models of their own strain during the test. Males raised with females of the other strain merely showed att
Authors
K.M. Cheng, R.N. Shoffner, R.E. Phillips, F.B. Lee

Waterfowl nesting on small man-made islands in prairie wetlands

Small islands constructed in prairie wetlands were attractive nesting sites for mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) and Canada geese (Branta canadensis). Nest densities of mallards on islands averaged 135 per ha compared to 0.03 per ha on adjacent upland habitats. Construction time averaged 2 hours per island and cost $50. No maintenance was required during the first 10 years.
Authors
R.F. Johnson, R.O. Woodward, L.M. Kirsch

Avian mortality caused by a September wind and hail storm

Abstract has not been submitted
Authors
K.F. Higgins, M. A. Johnson

Biochemical identification of mallard-black duck hybrids through a breeding program and in nature

From 1974 to 1976, a breeding program was used to produce black duck-mallard hybrids for the evaluation of inheritance patterns of serum proteins and esterases. In addition to the initial crosses, a series of matings in 1975 and 1976 were designed to evaluate inheritance patterns in hybrid matings with either black duck or mallards. At the F1 level, hybrids were easily distinguished. However, mall
Authors
R.P. Morgan, D. W. Meritt, S. B. Block, M. Cole

Interpreting the results of nesting studies

Nesting studies are used to assess the production of birds and to evaluate nesting habitats. Most such studies involve finding nests in a given area and subsequently determining the proportion that hatched. Unfortunately, the results are often biased by unrecognized differences in the probabilities of finding successful and unsuccessful nests. The observed hatch rates of 1,900 nests of blue-winged
Authors
H.W. Miller, D. H. Johnson

Red fox prey demands and implications to prairie duck production

Experiments were conducted during spring and summer with 33 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) to determine prey demands, feeding characteristics, and growth rates using natural foods. Pups began eating prey the 4th week after birth. Then, prey consumption averaged 1.38 and 1.90 kg/pup/week for weeks 5-8 and 9-12 of the denning season respectively, and 2.54 kg/pup/week for the postdenning period. Feeding b
Authors
A. B. Sargeant

A remote controlled system for capturing nesting waterfowl

Abstract has not been submitted
Authors
C.W. Shaiffer, G.L. Krapu

Little brown birds are number one

Abstract has not been submitted
Authors
J. T. Lokemoen

Use of Landsat data to assess waterfowl habitat quality

This report is a discussion of the feasibility of using Landsat data to generate information of value for effective management of migratory waterfowl. Effective management of waterfowl includes regulating waterfowl populations through hunting regulations and habitat management. This report examines the ability to analyze annual production by monitoring the number of breeding and brood ponds that a
Authors
J.E. Colwell, D.S. Gilmer, E.A. Work, D. Rebel