Waterfowl Wonderland

The Midwestern United States is home to some of the most coveted waterfowl hunting grounds in the nation. Every year, thousands of hunters come together to take part in this popular and revered pastime. States in the Midwest, representing both the Central and Mississippi Flyways for waterfowl, consistently rank in the top half of states for duck and goose hunting popularity.

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Duck and waterfowl hunting offers hunters the unique opportunity to seek out multiple species of bird simultaneously, thus creating an engaging culture of options, preferences and opinions. Today, we take a look at some of the most prized species of ducks and waterfowl among hunters, while taking time to emphasize how each of these incredible species can be better supported by those that hunt them.

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Canvasback (Aythya valisineria)

Category: Diving Duck

Alternate Name(s): N/A 

Identification: An objectively beautiful bird, male Canvasbacks sport a russet-colored head with a black sloping bill, a black breast and a bright-white belly and red eyes. Hens have a light brown head and neck that transitions to a darker brown chest.

Habitat & Distribution: Canvasbacks prefer to nest along open water or permanent prairie marshes that are surrounded by emergent vegetation, such as cattails and bulrushes. Canvasbacks breed in the prairie pothole region of the Midwestern United States and western Canada. They migrate through the Mississippi Flyway to wintering grounds in the Mid-Atlantic and lower Mississippi regions, or through the Pacific Flyway to wintering grounds along the coast of California.

Diet: Aquatic species such as sago pondweed and wild celery tubers serve as the primary food source for Canvasbacks. Wild rice and aquatic insects are additional sources for food for Canvasbacks as well.

Hunting Considerations: Prized for their flavorful meat, the Canvasback holds a trophy status amongst waterfowl hunters. After populations started to decline in the 1980s, hunting seasons were shortened or closed and bag limits reduced. The Canvasback population appears rebounding in many states as a result of habitat restoration efforts and proper management in many states.

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

Category: Puddle/Dabbling Duck

Alternate Name(s): “Greenheads”

Identification: Mallards are arguably the most quintessential duck in the United States. Male Mallards (known as drakes) have an unmistakable green head and white ring on their neck. Females (known as hens) are mostly brown in color. Both drakes & hens have a blue patch on their wings.

Habitat & Distribution: The mallard is commonly seen in wetlands (including marshes and flooded grain fields), ponds and lakes in rural areas and cities. Mallards range more widely than any other duck. They are observed throughout the United States and Canada during the breeding season and migrate to many southern states in the fall.

Diet: A dabbling duck, Mallards rely on grass and sedge seeds, roots and tubers of aquatic plants, as well as insects, grains and wild rice as viable food sources.

Hunting Considerations: The abundance and availability of the mallard makes this species one of the most popular for hunters. It responds best to calls and will even attract other species when using its call.

Blue-Winged Teal (Spatula discors)

Category: Puddle/Dabbling Duck

Alternate Name(s): N/A

Identification: The Blue-Winged Teal is a small, fast duck that reaches around 15 inches in length and weighs 1 pound at adulthood. Males can be identified by their white facial crescent, chestnut-brown spots on their breast and pale blue patches on their wings. Females also sport pale blue wing patches but are more uniformly gray-brown in color. Both males and females have small black bills.

Habitat & Distribution: Blue-Winged Teals are a common breeder throughout the prairie pothole region of the Midwestern United States and Canada. The seasonally flooded wetlands and small lakes and ponds found in this region provide ample habitat for this species of teal. In the spring, Blue-Winged Teals make their journey to this region from their wintering grounds in the southern United States and Central/Southern America. Generally speaking, the Blue-Winged Teal is one of the first birds to migrate south in the fall and one of the last to migrate north in the spring.

Diet: A dabbling duck, the Blue-Winged Teal’s diet consists of aquatic insects found in the shallow wetland areas, as well as aquatic plants and seeds.

Hunting Considerations: Although a challenging species to hunt because of its agility and speed, the Blue-Winged Teal is a flavorful bird that is one of the most sought after species. There are a number of species of Teal found in the United States, including the Green-Winged Teal and the Cinnamon Teal. Blue-Winged Teal and Cinnamon Teal appear nearly identical during the fall, and as spring approaches both species acquire distinct breeding plumage (or feathers).

Gadwall (Mareca strepera)

Category: Puddle/Dabbling Duck

Alternate Name(s): “Gray Mallards” or “Gray Ducks”

Identification: The Gadwall is a medium-sized duck that, unlike many other duck species, is known for its lack of bright coloration. Gadwalls have a more subtle appearance, with males displaying a mostly gray-brown color with a white belly and a black rump. They have a gray bill and yellow legs and feet. Female Gadwalls have similar features; they have an overall brown coloration with a yellow bill.

Habitat & Distribution: Gadwalls favor prairie regions and seasonal and semi-permanent wetlands for nesting habitat. Their breeding grounds extend through the north-central United States into central Canada. The highest concentrations of migrating Gadwalls utilize the Central and Mississippi Flyways. In the winter, Gadwall populations can be found throughout the southern two-thirds of the United States as well as the intermountain west of North America and Mexico.

Diet: The majority of the Gadwall’s diet consists of the leaves and stems of aquatic vegetation. Gadwalls venture out into open, deep water to reach this food source, which is typically further from the shoreline than most dabbling ducks. They are also known to feed on aquatic invertebrates such as crustaceans and midges.

Hunting Considerations: Another popular bird for waterfowl hunters in the Midwest, many consider the Gadwall to be a reliable bird to decoy.

Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)

Category: Puddle/Dabbling Duck

Alternate Name(s): “Spoonies”

Identification: As their name suggests, the Northern Shoveler can be identified by its unmistakably large, spoon-shaped bill. Drakes have an iridescent green head and neck, with a white breast and a chestnut belly and sides. Their wings are green with a white taper and a gray-blue patch on their shoulder. Females have a light brown head with a black crown and a speckled, brown body. Their wings range from grayish-blue to brown in color, often with a hint of white or a sheen of green.

Habitat & Distribution: Like many of the species identified here, Northern Shovelers breed in the prairie and wetland habitats of the north-central United States and Canada. Their habitat ranges from short to mixed-grass prairies to shallow marshes, all of which provide sources of food and areas for nesting. The Northern Shoveler migrates via the Pacific and Central Flyways and will spend its winters in California, Texas and Mexico, stretching as far south as Columbia and the Caribbean.

Diet: Aquatic vegetation and seeds from sedges, rushes and grasses, along with aquatic invertebrates, mollusks and crustaceans, are all staples of the Northern Shovelers diet. Their large bill is used to capture food, as shovelers will filter water that is taken in at the bill tip and then expel it at the base.

Hunting Considerations: Although a widespread and common duck, the Northern Shoveler remains a popular species to hunt. They have an excellent flavor profile (especially those who have been feeding within rice fields) and are a popular choice to be mounted because of their unique look.

Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)

Category: Puddle/Dabbling Duck

Alternate Name(s): "Greyhound of the Air", Drakes: “Bull Sprig”

Identification: A long, slender duck, the Northern Pintail is most recognized for its two sprigs that extend from its tail feathers. Males have a chocolate-brown head with white stripes on each side. They have a white breast and belly and a black to gray backside. Female pintails have a gray head, dark-brown upper body and gray lower body. The two main tail feathers are black while others are gray margined by white. 

Habitat & Distribution: The Northern Pintail will nest along seasonal and semi-permanent wetlands situated within prairie and tundra habitats. This species has a circumpolar breeding pattern; their breeding range extends from Alaska southward towards the western and central United States. While the Northern Pintail utilizes all four major flyways in the United States, over half of the pintail population in North America migrates through, and winters in, California. Flocks migrating via the Central and Mississippi Flyways will overwinter along the gulf coasts of Texas and Louisiana. Contrary to teal species, Northern Pintails are one of the last ducks to migrate south in the fall and one of the first to migrate north in the spring.

Diet: To feed, pintails will dabble and up-end to reach the seeds and nutlets of emergent aquatic plants. They will also consume waste grains, insects and crustaceans.

Hunting Considerations: The Northern Pintail is a notoriously wary bird, often observed circling hunting zones many times before committing. They are also challenging to call in and decoy when hunting.

Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)

Category: Puddle/Dabbling Duck

Alternate Name(s): “Woodies”

Identification: One of the most colorful of all waterfowl species in the midwest, the Wood Duck has broad wings and a long square tail. Male Wood Ducks have blue-green crested heads with white stripes, a reddish brown breast and red eyes. Female Wood Ducks are brown in color with a white speckled breast, crested head and a distinctive white eye ring. 

Habitat & Distribution: The Wood Duck is a cavity nester that seeks out riparian areas including wooded river bottoms, flooded hardwood forests and wooded potholes as suitable habitat. Wood Ducks are widespread and nest throughout the United States and southeastern Canada. Migration patterns for Wood Ducks vary in different parts of the United States. Between 30-75% of the Wood Ducks found in the eastern and western United States are permanent residents. In the central United States, there is no clear migratory path for their populations. Data suggests that these birds converge on the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, where the highest breeding densities occur in the United States. In recent years, the breeding range for Wood Ducks has expanded westward into the Great Plains region following development of wooded riparian corridors.

Diet: Wood Ducks are known to feed on aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates, acorns, seeds, and fruits. 

Hunting Considerations: The Wood Duck is consistently one of the most harvested species of waterfowl in the Midwest. However, its habitat and speed make it a challenge for any hunter; they can be observed streaking through canopies and tree boles with great speed.

Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)

Category: Diving Duck

Alternate Name(s): “Whistler”

Identification: Named for its dazzling, yellow iris, the Common Goldeneye is the most abundant goldeneye species. Male goldeneyes have a iridescent black and green head and a white patch between the eye and the bill. They have a black back and bill and a white breast and underside. Female goldeneyes have a brown head with a white neckband, gray back and sides and blackish bill that turns to yellow at the tip. Both males and females have yellowish feet.

Habitat & Distribution: Common Goldeneyes are cavity nesters that rely on wooded habitat to raise their young. Therefore, wooded areas adjacent to lakes and deep marshland are prime habitats for this species. Goldeneyes breed across Canada and the Great Lakes region and are most abundantly found in the Canadian Boreal Forests. They generally migrate late in the fall to their wintering ground across the contiguous United States, and will migrate back north through Canada early in the spring.

Diet: Goldeneyes rely on brackish or saltwater bays and deeper freshwater habitats to feed on a variety of available animal life. They tend to feed on aquatic insects, mollusks, crustaceans and small fish for the majority of the year, and will occasionally supplement with aquatic plant material. 

Hunting Considerations: Common Goldeneyes typically fly in small, compact clusters, with their wings making a characteristic whistling sound as they fly. Goldeneyes also have a strong homing tendency and will return to the same nesting cavity in successive years. 

Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris)

Category: Diving Duck

Alternate Name(s): “Ringneck”

Identification: Closely resembling the scaup, the Ring-necked Duck or “Ringneck” has a few distinct characteristics that separate them. Overall, Ringnecks have a peaked, angular head profile, with white markings or bands on their bill and dark upper wings. Drakes are generally dark and have an iridescent black head, neck and breast with a white to gray colored underside. The bill is slate with a white band along its borders. Hens have a brown head with a black crown, generally brown body with a white underside and a white eye ring. Similar to the males, their bill is slate with a faint white band near the tip. Despite their name, the ring on their neck is almost never visible at first glance.

Habitat & Distribution: Ringnecks are partial to wet and sedge meadows, bogs and wooded marshes for nesting habitat. The extent of their breeding area spans through southern Alaska southward through Canada and into the midwestern United States. Their wintering habitat extends across the central and southern United States and into Mexico. The most concentrated distribution occurs within the Pacific, Mississippi, and Atlantic Flyways. Areas along the southern Mississippi Flyway are known to house the highest concentration of wintering birds.

Diet: The Ringneck is a diving duck that will forage to depths of a few feet while occasionally feeding at the surface or in the shallows. Its diet consists predominantly of seeds, stems and roots of aquatic vegetation (such as pondweeds and smartweeds) as well as aquatic insects and mollusks. Ringnecks are opportunistic feeders and will move into flooded crop fields to eat. 

Hunting Considerations: The Ring-necked Duck is known to be a strong and fast flier. Unlike most diving ducks that require a lengthy takeoff, the Ringneck possesses the ability to take flight by springing up directly from the water.

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

Category: Geese

Alternate Name(s): N/A

Identification: Both sexes of Canada geese have a black head, neck, bill and feet. There are seven recognized subspecies of Canada Geese, most of which are generally large in size, pale and exhibit the characteristic "honking" call. During migration, Canada Geese fly in V-shaped flocks, making them easy to identify from above.  

Habitat & Distribution: Put simply, Canada Geese are found everywhere. A Canada Goose can be spotted anywhere from farmland to a golf course, however freshwater wetlands, lakes, ponds and rivers are their typical habitat. They are distributed throughout the United States and Canada, migrating through (breeding and sometimes overwintering in) the Midwest.

Diet: This bird feeds on grasses, aquatic plants, insects, grains, and berries.

Hunting Considerations: In the past few years, the Canada Goose population has shown to be increasing across the Midwest. In response to this, state wildlife agencies have increased bag limits and season lengths in an effort to stabilize the population growth.

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The world of waterfowl and waterfowl hunting is as diverse as the species themselves.

Each bird has their own notable qualities that distinguish them, however there are a few commonalities that tie them together. One theme that is consistent throughout migratory bird hunting and management is the importance of wetland habitat. As highlighted numerous times in this article, wetlands provide waterfowl with suitable habitat for both feeding and nesting during their migratory cycles. Wetlands allow for waterfowl populations to grow, which in turn provides people with continued hunting opportunities. 

The connection between healthy wetlands and healthy waterfowl populations goes hand in hand. Since the middle of the 20th century, duck and goose population numbers dropped significantly due to improper management and habitat loss. Efforts have been made since to stabilize waterfowl populations, many of which focus on protecting and restoring the critical wetland habitat that these species depend on. These efforts carry on into today, as migratory birds continue to face environmental and societal pressures that will ultimately threaten hunting. Wetlands are at the core of duck hunting and require the same degree of care and respect as all species of waterfowl.

Each individual has their own preferences when it comes to waterfowl hunting. While the species noted here are regarded as some of the most popular, the most popular species is harder to identify. It’s not a diving duck. It's not a dabbling duck. It’s not even a duck at all. It’s something bigger, something so impactful it transcends all species of waterfowl; it's the species of wetlands.

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Mitigation Partners, Inc. Founders Dax Dickson & Tory Christensen

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Sources

• https://fws.gov/harvestsurvey/harvest-vis

• https://www.ducks.org/conservation/waterfowl-habitat

• https://outdoorrecreation.wi.gov/Documents/Research%20Library%20Page%20files/US%20-%20Economic%20Impacts/Economic%20Impact%20of%20Waterfowl%20Hunting_2011.pdf

• https://nawmp.org/sites/default/files/2018-03/National%20Survey%20of%20Waterfowl%20Hunters%20Central%20Flyway_1.pdf

• https://www.gameandfishmag.com/editorial/5-early-season-targets-for-duck-hunting/191393

• https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regulations/hunting/waterfowl.pdf

• https://www.outdoorlife.com/waterfowlers-top-10-favorite-duck-species/

• https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/birds/mallard.html

• https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/northern-pintail