Species
Mottled
Ducks
Florida mottled ducks have an intrinsic, aesthetic value and are
highly prized as a game bird. Also they are a defining member of
the unique suite of species characteristic of the prairie ecosystem
of south Florida.
Wood Ducks
Wood ducks are small to medium sized ducks, with a noticeably
crested head. Males are brightly colored, while females are
brownish gray. Both males and females have a white patch around the
eyes and throat.
Fulvous and Black-bellied Whistling
Ducks
To promote good management for fulvous whistling ducks and
mottled ducks, the Waterfowl Management Staff encourages shallow
flooding of fallow agricultural fields and rice culture in place of
sugar cane.
Migratory Waterfowl
Migratory waterfowl breed in northern North America
and migrate to or through Florida during the fall and winter.
Approximately 20 species of waterfowl regularly winter in Florida.
Wintering areas, such as Florida, are important in the annual cycle
of migratory waterfowl. Habitat conditions during this non-breeding
period may affect survival and subsequent reproduction. Ducks must
maintain or improve their body condition during winter to avoid
mortality during spring migration and to meet the physiological
demands of the nesting season (i.e., egg laying, incubation). The
FWC devotes considerable resources to monitoring and managing these
migrant birds and providing quality habitat.
Mallards in
Florida
History has proved that the concern over the loss of the Florida
mottled duck to hybridization is a real one and should not be taken
lightly.
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