Image
Ecology and Vulnerability
American Black Duck
Photo credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Scientific name
Anas rubripes
Profile: American Black Duck ▾▸
Background
The American black duck is medium sized with a brown body and white underwings. This species uses a variety of habitats in Massachusetts, including forested wetlands, rivers, and coastal...
Background
The American black duck is medium sized with a brown body and white underwings. This species uses a variety of habitats in Massachusetts, including forested wetlands, rivers, and coastal salt marshes. American black ducks are considered partial short distance migrants 14; movements are likely influenced by weather, food, and hunting 8. In recent decades, black duck populations have declined around 1.5% per year due to hunting, habitat degradation and loss, and interactions with other waterfowl species 2,10. Although nesting activity in Massachusetts has been decreasing, salt marshes, mud flats, and bays remain important feeding grounds during the winter months 11,18, as these habitats support high densities of invertebrate and vertebrate food sources.
Wetland and forested habitats throughout the US have experienced significant declines 7,9, which has likely contributed to the decline of black ducks and other wetland-dependent waterfowl. Mallard populations have expanded as black ducks have decreased, and mallards occupy more black duck habitat than they have historically 17. Black ducks are known to hybridize with mallards through mating 2,12, with hybrids representing 2-10% of black duck and mallard populations. Some evidence suggests that mallards may be competing with black ducks for habitat and other resources, although this is still somewhat uncertain 16.
Climate Impacts
Climate change impacts many aspects of waterfowl populations, including feeding patterns, breeding, migration timing, and behavior 4,6. American black duck populations may be impacted by climate change as their habitat distribution has shifted northward 3,13. Increasing temperatures are also expected to worsen the incidence of parasites and disease 8. Rising sea levels are projected to negatively impact coastal habitats, including salt marshes and mud flats, which American black ducks rely on for feeding and overwintering habitat 1. Although American black ducks have already lost much of their optimal habitat due to a variety of human activities, warming due to climate change is likely to shift their winter range northward, potentially increasing the amount of suitable cold-season habitat by 25% by the year 2080 19.
References
1. Adaptation Subcommittee to the Governor’s Steering Committee on Climate Change (ASGSCCC). 2010. The impacts of climate change on Connecticut agriculture, infrastructure, natural resources and public health. Available at: http://www.ct.gov/deep/lib/deep/climatechange/impactsofclimatechange.pdf
2. Barnes, G.B. 1989. Determination of mallard and black duck hybrids from wing feathers. Journal of Wildlife Management 53:1061-1064.
3. Brook, R.W., R.K. Ross, K.F. Abraham., D.L. Fronczak, and J.C. Davies. 2007. Evidence for Black Duck Winter Distribution Change. Journal of Wildlife Management 73:98-103.
4. Carey, C. 2009. The impacts of climate change on the annual cycles of birds. Phil Trans. R. Soc. B 364:3321-3330.
5. Cramer, D.M., P.M. Castelli, T. Yerkes, and C.K. Williams. 2012. Food Resource Availability for American Black Ducks Wintering in Southern New Jersey. The Journal of Wildlife Management 76:214-219.
6. Crick, H.Q.P. 2004. The impact of climate change on birds. IBIS 146:48–56.
7. Dahl, T.E. 1990. Wetlands losses in the United States 1780s to 1980s. U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C., USA.
8. Devers, P.K., and B. Collins. 2011. Conservation action plan for the American black duck, First Edition. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Migratory Bird Management, Laurel, MD, USA.
9. Foster, D.R. Thoreau’s country: a historical-ecological perspective on conservation in the New England landscape. Journal of Biogeography 29:1537-1555.
10. Grandy, J.W. 1983. The North American black duck (Anas rubripes): A case study of 28 years of failure in American wildlife management. Supplement to International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems, 4:2-35.
11. Heusmann, H.W., and J.R. Sauer. 2000. The northeastern states’ waterfowl breeding population survey. Wildlife Soc. Bull. 28:355-364.
12. Johnsgard, P.A. 1967. Sympatry changes and hybridization incidence in mallards and black ducks. Am. Midl. Nat. 77:51-63.
13. Link, W.A., J.R. Sauer, and D.K. Niven. 2006. A hierarchical model for regional analysis of population change from the Christmas Bird Count, with application to the American black duck. The Condor 108:13–24.
14. Longcore, J.R., D.G. McAuley, G.R. Hepp, and J.M. Rhymer. 2000. American black duck (Anas rubripes). In the Birds of North America, No. 481 (A. Poole and F. Gill, editors). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA, USA
15. Massachusetts Audubon. 2016. American Black Duck: Breeding Bird Atlas. The National Audubon Society. Accessed 4/13/16. Available at http://www.massaudubon.org/our-conservation-work/wildlife-research-conservation/statewide-bird-monitoring/breeding-bird-atlases/bba1/find-a-bird/(id)/47
16. Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MDFW). 2015. American Black Duck: Fact Sheet. Accessed 4/13/16. Available at http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/wildlife-habitat-conservation/anas-rubripes-2015.pdf
17. Merendino, M.T., C.D. Ankney, and D.G. Dennis. 1993. Increasing mallards, decreasing American black ducks: more evidence for cause and effect. Journal of Wildlife Management 57:199–208.
18. Morton, J.M., R.L. Kirkpatrick, M.R. Vaughan, and D.F. Stauffer. 1989. Habitat Use and Movements of American Black Ducks in Winter. The Journal of Wildlife Management 53:390-400.
19. National Audubon Society. Climate Report: American Black Duck. Viewed 4/14/2006. Available at http://climate.audubon.org/birds/ambduc/american-black-duck
20. Rogers, J.P., and J.H. Patterson. 1984. The black duck population and its management. Trans. North Am. Wildl. and Nat. Resour. Conf. 49: 527-534
Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment: American Black Duck (North Appalachian/Maritime Canada)
Ranking
Presumed Stable
Confidence
Not Specified
Climate scenario
SRES A1B (Mid-range emissions scenario)
Location
North Appalachian/Maritime Canada
Time period
2050
Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment: American Black Duck (North Atlantic Coast)
Ranking
Presumed Stable
Confidence
Not Specified
Climate scenario
SRES A1B (Mid-range emissions scenario)
Location
North Atlantic Coast
Time period
2050
Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment: American Black Duck (Mid Atlantic Coast)
Ranking
Presumed Stable
Confidence
Not Specified
Climate scenario
SRES A1B (Mid-range emissions scenario)
Location
Mid Atlantic Coast
Time period
2050
Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment: American Black Duck (Maine)
Ranking
Presumed Stable
Confidence
Somewhat Confident
Climate scenario
Not Specified
Location
Maine
Time period
Not Specified