waterfowl responses to extreme winter weather

[Dodge Man]

How do waterfowl react when it gets cold prior to northern migration. I mean cold... like that arctic blast we had in February 2021 when everything froze up. Well if you want to read the science click this link: https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16288. Long story short, most waterfowl stayed in the same area and didn't push further south. Instead, they delayed their northward migration. Interestingly, smaller ducks like teal weren't more affected by these extreme cold weather events. Instead, snow geese and northern shovelers were most affected, probably because neither can eat efficiently when the ground and wetlands are completely frozen. Many thanks to Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ducks Unlimited, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service who all collaborated to make this research happen.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.16288?fs=e&s=cl

 

[younggun308]

Curious what happens when arctic blasts happen earlier in the season.

 

[West_Tn]

Curious what happens when arctic blasts happen earlier in the season.

Yea that's what I'm more concerned with. How do they react when I can actually hunt them.

 

[tickweed]

There is a certain date, cant remember , but as they shift toward breeding, then nesting, they dont want to push any farther south than they have too. They know the trip back is near, and will sit tight. I do not believe cold air moves them as much as the water freezing. They dry feed all the time, unless snow cover. so I say snow cover, lack of water pushes, but even then they hit the big rivers.

 

[Displaced_Vol]

There is a certain date, cant remember , but as they shift toward breeding, then nesting, they dont want to push any farther south than they have too. They know the trip back is near, and will sit tight. I do not believe cold air moves them as much as the water freezing. They dry feed all the time, unless snow cover. so I say snow cover, lack of water pushes, but even then they hit the big rivers.

Winter solstice is what I've heard. December 21 maybe? Soon as days start getting longer they recognize the photoperiod.

I've heard Jim Ronquest talk about groups of ducks showing up consistently in Arkansas around Halloween. He believes there's a cohort of birds that move almost entirely based on photoperiod and the majority are more weather driven.

It's wild stuff to think about. I'd love a couple real hard, early winters in a row to see how that changes things for us more southern hunters.