Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Reduced caloric intake can have a dramatic effect on the time needed for waterfowl to replenish fat reserves. Reducing the daily caloric intake by 19% (390 kcal/day) more than doubles the estimated time required for fat replenishment, but these estimates represent a simplified case and actual requirements may be different. Concentrating waterfowl creates two problems that could adversely affect their energy budgets. First, food supplies become depleted more rapidly. Decreased food availability necessitates increased foraging time and/or longer foraging flights for those species that field-feed. Secondly, hunting pressure tends to increase in areas where waterfowl concentrate. Harassment by hunters could increase movements and reduce time available for foraging.