Tracking Mallards Migration: Research and Conservation for Arkansas' Duck Season

10/28/24 • 22 min

Duck hunting season takes place in November and December in Arkansas and duck hunters and experts are watching for birds coming into the area in October, a group often referred to as "Halloween ducks".
Dr. Doug Osborne, professor in the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, and researcher for the experiment station, explains mallards' migration patterns, the challenges faced by waterfowl populations, and the importance of creating optimal habitats for these birds.
The duck population has declined over the years; Osborne says understanding waterfowl behaviors can better inform decisions to help those numbers rebound by ensuring healthy habitat management to provide diverse food sources and environments.
Osborne discusses how his research into waterfowl behavior is helping inform habitat management and restoration efforts.
He discusses the benefits and significance of his research and protecting waterfowl habitats both for wildlife and human benefits, including the wetlands' role in water quality and flood management, carbon sequestration, providing essential nutrients for waterfowl, and the cultural and economic importance of duck hunting in Arkansas.
Related Links:
Doug Osborne's Research
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station
College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Recourses
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

Previous Episode

Feast or Fowl: Why you might pay more for turkey and eggs this holiday season

In this episode of Food, Farms, and Forests, Dr. Jada Thompson, associate professor of agricultural economics and agribusiness breaks down the economic factors affecting turkey and egg prices for the upcoming holiday season.
She discusses the highly pathogenic avian influenza and avian metapneumovirus, or aMPV, how producers adjust supply in response to potential outbreaks, and the impacts of biosecurity measures and backyard poultry.
Tune in as Thompson dives deeper into the economic dynamics behind the prices we pay at the grocery store.
Related links:
Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Department

Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural Food Life Science
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station

Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service

U of A System Division of Agriculture

Next Episode

A Berry Big Deal: Merging traits for taste and toughness

New research is exploring combining the best traits of traditional table grapes with muscadines to create disease-resistant, flavorful grapes consumers will love.
In this episode of Food, Farms & Forests, Dr. Margaret Worthington, associate professor of horticulture and researcher at the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, explains the project she co-leads to create a new grape variety.
Worthington and an interdisciplinary team of 31 researchers from 12 institutions across the country are working on a research project to develop hybrids between two very different types of grapes: the classic table grape, Vitis vinifera, and the southeastern native, Muscadinia rotundifolia, better known as muscadine.
Muscadines have exceptional disease resistance and thrive in the Southeastern U.S., while Vitis vinifera grapes have the textures and flavors consumers love.
Worthington shares some history of efforts that began over a century ago to bring together the best traits from both grape types. She explains that one unique aspect of this research is the unprecedented level of collaboration between the traditional Vitis vinifera and muscadine grape breeding communities.
Worthington—who grew up enjoying the fruit in North Carolina—hopes to elevate muscadines to a nationwide “fifth berry category,” joining the ranks of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries.
This project is funded by a $7 million USDA-NIFA grant.
Related Links:
Vitis Vinifera and Muscadines: Grape Breeders Seek the Best of Both Grapes
USDA-Agricultural Research Service’s Plant Disease Action Plan for 2022-2026
USDA Invests Nearly $121M in Specialty Crops Research and Organic Agriculture Production
The Vitis x Muscadinia project is supported by the Specialty Crop Research Initiative, USDA-NIFA project award no. 2024-51181-43236.

Food, Farms and Forests - Tracking Mallards Migration: Research and Conservation for Arkansas' Duck Season

Transcript

[00:00] Doug

Duck population numbers, abundance is down right now. Even ten years ago, we were up at ten million ducks in the population and now we are down to 5.5 million. So, we’re down a good bit. Lots of things driving it. So, our role down here is to make sure we are providing healthy habitat where they can get the nutrition, the nutrients they need.

[00:24] Intro/Outro

Welcome to the Arkansas Food, Farms and Forests Podcast. The p