Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Such factors as spring trapping, and unrestrained fishing, picnicking, and boating are usually associated with unsuccessful waterfowl breeding. With an objective to produce more ducks, areas must be selected where this priority can be maintained. Neither American black ducks (Anas rubripes) nor ring-necked ducks (Aythya collaris) will produce many young under conditions of excessive human disturbance. They will soon go elsewhere to nest. Sizes of Class II and Class III broods have averaged more than two birds higher at Portage Lake in northern Maine since the use of motorboats was prohibited by law in the marsh portion of that lake. Of great concern from the waterfowl standpoint is the increased amount of motor-boating, picnicking, and camping on inland waterways.