It's something we know intuitively--waterfowl need water. And they mostly eat seeds, right? But has transforming natural floodplain ecosystems that sustained migratory waterfowl for millenniums into monotypic, agricultural landscapes somehow altered our understanding waterfowl habitat preferences (versus availability), habitat productivity, and essential wetlands complexes? Personal duck hunting experiences worldwide combined with known, species-specific migrational and distributional changes and a gut feeling that, well, having ample supply of a limited resource has its advantages have me rethinking seed mentality as an approach to waterfowl habitat management. Wildlife Biologist Kevin Nelms and I sift through superior benefits of mimicking emerging wetlands to attract and hold wintering waterfowl. Duck hunters, club members, public land hunters and habitat managers--everyone will appreciate this honest discussion.

As USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Wildlife Biologist in the Mississippi Delta, Nelms has spent decades designing and developing numerous private-lands waterfowl impoundments. He’s worked extensively with private landowners throughout the region, improving desirable waterfowl habitat conditions, enhancing duck utilization, even putting together a handbook that's considered a must-have staple for waterfowl habitat management (see related links below for your own PDF copy). Contact Kevin Nelms at kevin.nelms@USDA.gov.

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Related Links:

Wetlands Management for Waterfowl Handbook (PDF)

Managing Moist-Soil Impoundments (YouTube)

Other Need-to-Hear Habitat Episodes:

• EP 125. Wetland Management for Waterfowl Habitat 1/3
• EP 127. Wetland Management for Waterfowl 2/3
• EP 129. Wetland Management for Waterfowl 3/3
• EP 175. Wetlands Management for Waterfowl: Fall Considerations
• EP 235. Waterfowl Habitat Management: Producing Desirable Moist-soil Vegetation
• EP 237. Waterfowl Habitat Management: Controlling Problem Plants
• EP 245. Waterfowl Habitat Management: Planting Agricultural Hot Crops
• EP 254. Waterfowl Habitat Management: Good Intentions, Bad Ideas, Mismanagement

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