Ducks Unlimited releases black ducks in Flanders as part of ongoing study

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Three female black ducks were fitted with electronic tracking devices before waddling off into the great unknown via Flanders Bay Sunday morning as part of an effort to monitor their activities in the wild.

The ducks were captured on Saturday and released from Hubbard Park in Flanders as part of Ducks Unlimited’s initiative to track the migratory and breeding habits of black ducks in the Mid- and Northern Atlantic regions. Ducks Unlimited (DU) is an organization of biologists, conservationists and hunters who are dedicated to preserving wetlands for duck and other waterfowl. The organization is based in Tennessee.

Kurt Anderson, a biologist with DU, said that little research has been conducted on the migratory patterns of black ducks, even though such information could help increase their dwindling numbers. According to group’s website, ducks.org, the black duck population in traditional wintering habitats has decreased by as much as 60 percent in recent years.

“We’re 30 percent below the goal of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan,” said Mr. Anderson, referring to a plan to preserve waterfowl and migratory bird populations in Canada, Mexico and the United States. “We want to know why.”

The population goal of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan is 604,000 black ducks.

Mr. Anderson explained that if biologists knew where the black ducks were stopping while traveling north each summer, they could better monitor and maintain those wetlands.

So far this year, DU has released 36 other black ducks back into the wild in Ohio, Virginia, Delaware and New Jersey as part of the same initiative. Last year, DU released 29 black ducks in Virginia, Delaware and New Jersey.

Mr. Anderson said scientists usually try to catch the ducks in their winter habitats before they migrate north to Canada in the spring.

Nearly 75 people, including 40 children and teenagers, came out to Flanders Sunday morning to watch the release of the three ducks. The youths came out as part of a collaboration between the Suffolk County Parks Department and DU that aims to teach kids the importance of the organization’s mission.

Craig Kessler, the regional director for Ducks Unlimited, said that educating the next generation on the importance of wetlands conservation was an initiative that was especially important to his organization.

“We have an ongoing series of programs that run the gamut from things to do in the summertime to the young waterfowl hunter program in the fall,” Mr. Kessler said. “We also have responsible training and hunting experiences that are supervised by adult waterfowlers.”

Mr. Kessler explained that special activities, such as Sunday’s duck release, could help foster a lifelong appreciation of wetlands for future generations of hunters. “One of the things we’re particularly proud of is that we keep the youngsters involved after their late teen years,” he said. “It gives them good activities and keeps them off the streets.”

The organization has made great strides in recent years in the way it tracks and monitors waterfowl. Mr. Anderson explained that before they were able to use satellite tracking devices, biologists would trap ducks and attach metal bands to their legs. He said this tracking method only allowed scientists to see where a duck was trapped and where it was killed after hunting season.

In contrast, the solar-powered satellites will alert Mr. Anderson of a duck’s location up to four times a day.

“I download that into a mapping program,” he said. “I can identify stopover locations and how long they’re staying at those stopover locations and infer their nesting areas.”

For those who have concerns about attaching satellite tracking devices to the backs of ducks, Mr. Anderson said that most studies have shown that the devices do not cause long-term harm. He added that shortly after they were released Sunday, the three female ducks were paddling and barely noticed their new backpacks.

“It’s nice and snug,” he said. “They preen their feathers over it.”