Chesapeake Bay Breeding Waterfowl Populations

This paper presents information on the most common species of waterfowl that breed in the Chesapeake Bay including Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), Wood Duck (Aix sponsa), American Black Duck (Anas rubripes), Canada Goose (Branta canadensis), and Mute Swan (Cynus olor). Long-term (40 years) and short-term (13 years) trends in breeding populations were evaluated using the North American Breeding Bird Survey and the Atlantic Flyway Breeding Waterfowl Survey. Species that have adapted to landscape-level and local habitat changes in the past 40 years have expanded, especially Mute Swans, Canada Geese, and Mallards, while species that are less tolerant of these changes Such as American Black Ducks have declined. Wood Ducks may be showing some recent declines in the Bay region, even though the Atlantic Flyway population is increasing. Losses of forested wetland habitat: around the Bay may account for some of this decline.