Migration Alert: Arriving Waterfowl Finding Suitable Habitat in North Carolina

Well-managed refuge impoundments, which provide arriving birds with water and high-quality food resources, seem to be attracting typical numbers of birds in eastern North Carolina. Doug L. Howell, migratory game bird coordinator for the North Carolina Department of Natural Resources, says, “It’s very droughty across the state, and ducks are likely concentrated where there is water this year.”

Jake Merendino, DU’s South Atlantic biologist, says managed habitats look good overall across much of his region, which includes Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. He has received reports of fair numbers of blue-winged teal, wood ducks, and pintails on suitable habitats.

“Birds are showing up and using the habitat provided by quality management. Will they stay? I’m not sure. That all depends on the weather,” Merendino says.

Brian Van Druten, biologist at Alligator River and Pea Island National Wildlife Refuges, says efforts over the summer to keep water in impoundments paid off with good production of submerged aquatic vegetation.

Since mid-September, refuge staff have conducted five ground surveys. Northern pintails comprise the bulk of the birds, Van Druten says, with a peak of 12,152 counted November 1. American wigeon were the second most numerous species, totaling 2,456 birds. Total waterfowl usage was 16,532 birds with 20 species represented.

Ed Farley, DU manager of conservation programs for Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, hunted last weekend near the Mattamuskeet refuge, and he was encouraged by the numbers of tundra swans in the area. “I went from seeing only a handful on the November opener to seeing big flocks,” Farley says. “It seems they arrived a couple of weeks later than normal this year.”

Farley also witnessed what appeared to be a flight of new ducks arriving in the area. “They were extremely high and started dropping altitude to go into the refuge impoundments,” Farley says. “Thousands of them were doing that. With the strong north wind and full moon, I think a migration event occurred. We need better weather to improve hunting success, but I think the birds are finally arriving.”

Merendino echoes the mantra of waterfowl hunters throughout the region, declaring, “We just need it to get really cold up north.”