Midwinter Waterfowl Survey

| 1/28/2013

According to the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, there are fewer waterfowl spending the winter in North Dakota this year. The department’s annual midwinter waterfowl survey indicates that 159,000 birds were in the state, down from 279,000 birds last year.

“Conditions for this year’s survey were much more normal and starkly contrasted last year’s extremely mild conditions that resulted in a record count of 279,000 birds,” said migratory game bird biologist Mike Szymanski. “A strong winter storm that occurred on Veteran’s Day weekend pushed most waterfowl from North Dakota. In addition, essentially all water in the state was frozen at the time of this year’s survey, with the exception of a few places with fast moving, or warm water.”

Szymanski also says he is surprised by this year’s numbers because of the winter conditions experienced so far.

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