The black duck in the Chesapeake Bay of Maryland: Breeding behavior and biology. Stotts, V. D. & Davis, D. E. Chesapeake Science, 1960. doi abstract bibtex The breeding behavior and biology of black ducks, Anas rubripes, were observed from 1953–1958 on the upper Eastern Shore of Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. Ducks were trapped, banded and marked during the study in an essentially estuarine habitat, which was frost-free from mid-April to early November. The general habitat adjoining the Bay consisted of cultivated fields, pine woods with dense underbrush, extensive marshes in some areas, and duck blinds. Resident black ducks began to pair in the late summer and reached a peak in early April just before the height of the breeding season. Few if any young were observed to pair in the early fall. In the spring the male defended a territory for each clutch, generally using some promontory along the shore. The male remained nearby while the female built her nest, gradually deserting his mate during incubation. Eventually the pairing bond disappeared, although some males probably paired again with renesting hens. Females renested one or more times when the eggs were destroyed or even when the ducklings disappeared on the first day after hatching. At least eight out of 51 marked ducks were known to have renested. The dates of first laying varied from March 9 to March 27. The nesting peaks occurred about April 20. The first hatching occurred in early April; the last in early August. The date by which 50 percent of the nests were started was significantly earlier in 1953 than in 1957 or 1958 but no other differences were significant. Comparison of the peaks of hatching and of laying showed that in 1958 a loss of early clutches occurred. Nests were built most extensively in woods, less so in fields and marshes and markedly on duck blinds. They were constructed from adjacent material (leaves, grass, twigs, pine needles) in shallow basins, which were occasionally used by renesting females. Usually the nest site was covered by honeysuckle, poison ivy, brush, or grasses. Spacing between nests was determined by available cover; sometimes they were placed within a few feet of each other. The density varied from 0.6 to 15.2 nests per acre. The average number of eggs in a clutch declined from 10.9 to 7.5 during the season (360 clutches). Young females laid smaller average clutches (9.2) than adults (9.7). Primary clutches were larger (9.1) than secondary clutches (8.1) for the same females. The incubation period averaged 26.2 days (51 clutches). Neither size of clutch nor season had a significant effect on incubation period. About 5.6 percent of the eggs did not hatch. The fate of nesting was determined for 574 nests. During the six years, 38.0 percent hatched at least one egg, 11.5 percent were abandoned, and 50.0 percent were destroyed (34.0 percent by crows). Although complete and incomplete clutches were equally susceptible to predation, over half (51.8 percent) of the destruction of complete clutches occurred in the first week of incubation. An average of 9.6 percent of eggs in successful clutches was taken by crows. Estimations of production indicated that 100 females would raise 510 young to flying age and that the population in the area would decline if the mortality rate of females from flying age to breeding exceeded 78 percent. © 1960, Estuarine Research Federation. All rights reserved.
@article{stotts_black_1960,
title = {The black duck in the {Chesapeake} {Bay} of {Maryland}: {Breeding} behavior and biology},
doi = {10.2307/1350392},
abstract = {The breeding behavior and biology of black ducks, Anas rubripes, were observed from 1953–1958 on the upper Eastern Shore of Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. Ducks were trapped, banded and marked during the study in an essentially estuarine habitat, which was frost-free from mid-April to early November. The general habitat adjoining the Bay consisted of cultivated fields, pine woods with dense underbrush, extensive marshes in some areas, and duck blinds. Resident black ducks began to pair in the late summer and reached a peak in early April just before the height of the breeding season. Few if any young were observed to pair in the early fall. In the spring the male defended a territory for each clutch, generally using some promontory along the shore. The male remained nearby while the female built her nest, gradually deserting his mate during incubation. Eventually the pairing bond disappeared, although some males probably paired again with renesting hens. Females renested one or more times when the eggs were destroyed or even when the ducklings disappeared on the first day after hatching. At least eight out of 51 marked ducks were known to have renested. The dates of first laying varied from March 9 to March 27. The nesting peaks occurred about April 20. The first hatching occurred in early April; the last in early August. The date by which 50 percent of the nests were started was significantly earlier in 1953 than in 1957 or 1958 but no other differences were significant. Comparison of the peaks of hatching and of laying showed that in 1958 a loss of early clutches occurred. Nests were built most extensively in woods, less so in fields and marshes and markedly on duck blinds. They were constructed from adjacent material (leaves, grass, twigs, pine needles) in shallow basins, which were occasionally used by renesting females. Usually the nest site was covered by honeysuckle, poison ivy, brush, or grasses. Spacing between nests was determined by available cover; sometimes they were placed within a few feet of each other. The density varied from 0.6 to 15.2 nests per acre. The average number of eggs in a clutch declined from 10.9 to 7.5 during the season (360 clutches). Young females laid smaller average clutches (9.2) than adults (9.7). Primary clutches were larger (9.1) than secondary clutches (8.1) for the same females. The incubation period averaged 26.2 days (51 clutches). Neither size of clutch nor season had a significant effect on incubation period. About 5.6 percent of the eggs did not hatch. The fate of nesting was determined for 574 nests. During the six years, 38.0 percent hatched at least one egg, 11.5 percent were abandoned, and 50.0 percent were destroyed (34.0 percent by crows). Although complete and incomplete clutches were equally susceptible to predation, over half (51.8 percent) of the destruction of complete clutches occurred in the first week of incubation. An average of 9.6 percent of eggs in successful clutches was taken by crows. Estimations of production indicated that 100 females would raise 510 young to flying age and that the population in the area would decline if the mortality rate of females from flying age to breeding exceeded 78 percent. © 1960, Estuarine Research Federation. All rights reserved.},
journal = {Chesapeake Science},
author = {Stotts, Vernon D. and Davis, David E.},
year = {1960},
keywords = {Animal Interactions},
}
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Few if any young were observed to pair in the early fall. In the spring the male defended a territory for each clutch, generally using some promontory along the shore. The male remained nearby while the female built her nest, gradually deserting his mate during incubation. Eventually the pairing bond disappeared, although some males probably paired again with renesting hens. Females renested one or more times when the eggs were destroyed or even when the ducklings disappeared on the first day after hatching. At least eight out of 51 marked ducks were known to have renested. The dates of first laying varied from March 9 to March 27. The nesting peaks occurred about April 20. The first hatching occurred in early April; the last in early August. The date by which 50 percent of the nests were started was significantly earlier in 1953 than in 1957 or 1958 but no other differences were significant. Comparison of the peaks of hatching and of laying showed that in 1958 a loss of early clutches occurred. Nests were built most extensively in woods, less so in fields and marshes and markedly on duck blinds. They were constructed from adjacent material (leaves, grass, twigs, pine needles) in shallow basins, which were occasionally used by renesting females. Usually the nest site was covered by honeysuckle, poison ivy, brush, or grasses. Spacing between nests was determined by available cover; sometimes they were placed within a few feet of each other. The density varied from 0.6 to 15.2 nests per acre. The average number of eggs in a clutch declined from 10.9 to 7.5 during the season (360 clutches). Young females laid smaller average clutches (9.2) than adults (9.7). Primary clutches were larger (9.1) than secondary clutches (8.1) for the same females. The incubation period averaged 26.2 days (51 clutches). Neither size of clutch nor season had a significant effect on incubation period. About 5.6 percent of the eggs did not hatch. The fate of nesting was determined for 574 nests. During the six years, 38.0 percent hatched at least one egg, 11.5 percent were abandoned, and 50.0 percent were destroyed (34.0 percent by crows). Although complete and incomplete clutches were equally susceptible to predation, over half (51.8 percent) of the destruction of complete clutches occurred in the first week of incubation. An average of 9.6 percent of eggs in successful clutches was taken by crows. Estimations of production indicated that 100 females would raise 510 young to flying age and that the population in the area would decline if the mortality rate of females from flying age to breeding exceeded 78 percent. © 1960, Estuarine Research Federation. All rights reserved.","journal":"Chesapeake Science","author":[{"propositions":[],"lastnames":["Stotts"],"firstnames":["Vernon","D."],"suffixes":[]},{"propositions":[],"lastnames":["Davis"],"firstnames":["David","E."],"suffixes":[]}],"year":"1960","keywords":"Animal Interactions","bibtex":"@article{stotts_black_1960,\n\ttitle = {The black duck in the {Chesapeake} {Bay} of {Maryland}: {Breeding} behavior and biology},\n\tdoi = {10.2307/1350392},\n\tabstract = {The breeding behavior and biology of black ducks, Anas rubripes, were observed from 1953–1958 on the upper Eastern Shore of Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. Ducks were trapped, banded and marked during the study in an essentially estuarine habitat, which was frost-free from mid-April to early November. The general habitat adjoining the Bay consisted of cultivated fields, pine woods with dense underbrush, extensive marshes in some areas, and duck blinds. Resident black ducks began to pair in the late summer and reached a peak in early April just before the height of the breeding season. Few if any young were observed to pair in the early fall. In the spring the male defended a territory for each clutch, generally using some promontory along the shore. The male remained nearby while the female built her nest, gradually deserting his mate during incubation. Eventually the pairing bond disappeared, although some males probably paired again with renesting hens. Females renested one or more times when the eggs were destroyed or even when the ducklings disappeared on the first day after hatching. At least eight out of 51 marked ducks were known to have renested. The dates of first laying varied from March 9 to March 27. The nesting peaks occurred about April 20. The first hatching occurred in early April; the last in early August. The date by which 50 percent of the nests were started was significantly earlier in 1953 than in 1957 or 1958 but no other differences were significant. Comparison of the peaks of hatching and of laying showed that in 1958 a loss of early clutches occurred. Nests were built most extensively in woods, less so in fields and marshes and markedly on duck blinds. They were constructed from adjacent material (leaves, grass, twigs, pine needles) in shallow basins, which were occasionally used by renesting females. Usually the nest site was covered by honeysuckle, poison ivy, brush, or grasses. Spacing between nests was determined by available cover; sometimes they were placed within a few feet of each other. The density varied from 0.6 to 15.2 nests per acre. The average number of eggs in a clutch declined from 10.9 to 7.5 during the season (360 clutches). Young females laid smaller average clutches (9.2) than adults (9.7). Primary clutches were larger (9.1) than secondary clutches (8.1) for the same females. The incubation period averaged 26.2 days (51 clutches). Neither size of clutch nor season had a significant effect on incubation period. About 5.6 percent of the eggs did not hatch. The fate of nesting was determined for 574 nests. During the six years, 38.0 percent hatched at least one egg, 11.5 percent were abandoned, and 50.0 percent were destroyed (34.0 percent by crows). Although complete and incomplete clutches were equally susceptible to predation, over half (51.8 percent) of the destruction of complete clutches occurred in the first week of incubation. An average of 9.6 percent of eggs in successful clutches was taken by crows. Estimations of production indicated that 100 females would raise 510 young to flying age and that the population in the area would decline if the mortality rate of females from flying age to breeding exceeded 78 percent. © 1960, Estuarine Research Federation. All rights reserved.},\n\tjournal = {Chesapeake Science},\n\tauthor = {Stotts, Vernon D. and Davis, David E.},\n\tyear = {1960},\n\tkeywords = {Animal Interactions},\n}\n\n","author_short":["Stotts, V. D.","Davis, D. E."],"key":"stotts_black_1960","id":"stotts_black_1960","bibbaseid":"stotts-davis-theblackduckinthechesapeakebayofmarylandbreedingbehaviorandbiology-1960","role":"author","urls":{},"keyword":["Animal Interactions"],"metadata":{"authorlinks":{}}},"bibtype":"article","creationDate":"2020-05-07T19:33:30.622Z","downloads":0,"keywords":["animal interactions"],"search_terms":["black","duck","chesapeake","bay","maryland","breeding","behavior","biology","stotts","davis"],"title":"The black duck in the Chesapeake Bay of Maryland: Breeding behavior and biology","year":1960,"biburl":"https://bibbase.org/zotero/VIMSSAVMonitoring","dataSources":["BuFdsTA52M4Sqdb6z"]}