The importance of wing data for the monitoring and sustainable management of European ducks

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Eleanor McKenzie
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1 The importance of wing data for the monitoring and sustainable management of European ducks Richard Hearn Duck Specialist Group / Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust Photo John Anderson

management actions A lack of coordinated management opens up risk to the tragedy of the commons (especially with huntable

2 Why manage duck populations? Ducks are typical migratory waterbirds in that their effective conservation depends upon internationally (flyway) coordinated management actions A lack of coordinated management opens up risk to the tragedy of the commons (especially with huntable populations) However, most European ducks have been increasing and more proactive management has not been a major priority Now a number of populations are in decline, in UK and at flyway scale something is changing and we need to adapt

Declining ducks Evidence of declines in the UK for Wigeon, Mallard, Pintail, Pochard and Goldeneye At the flyway scale, declines have been detected for Wigeon,

3 Declining ducks Evidence of declines in the UK for Wigeon, Mallard, Pintail, Pochard and Goldeneye At the flyway scale, declines have been detected for Wigeon, Mallard, Pintail, Shoveler, Pochard, Tufted Duck and Goldeneye We can therefore no longer be so confident that huntable ducks are going to simply remain in favourable status

4 European flyway trends Long-term assessment ( ) Short-term assessment ( ) Wigeon Large increase Moderate decline Gadwall Large increase Large increase Teal Large increase Moderate increase Mallard Large decline Moderate decline Pintail Large increase Moderate decline Shoveler Large increase Moderate decline Pochard Large decline Large decline Tufted Duck Stable Moderate decline Goldeneye Moderate increase Moderate decline Based on: AEWA Conservation Status Report 2015

The decline of Pochard Pochard has declined by at least a third, and up to a half, in 23 years In UK it has declined by 67% in 25 years and 42% in last decade Now listed as

5 The decline of Pochard Pochard has declined by at least a third, and up to a half, in 23 years In UK it has declined by 67% in 25 years and 42% in last decade Now listed as globally Vulnerable by IUCN AEWA requires an end to hunting unless sustainability can be demonstrated Source: AEWA Conservation Status Report 2015 Source: UK Wetland Bird Survey

composition We also need to develop a more strategic and less

6 So what do we need to do? In order to inform management actions we need better information on: Population size and/or trend Population structure / demography Harvest statistics bag size and bag composition We also need to develop a more strategic and less opportunistic approach to data collection And we need effective coordination and greater engagement from all stakeholders

Duck management in North America This sort of collaborative flyway-scale management is well established in North America NAWMP introduced in 1986 due to recognition of the continuing

7 Duck management in North America This sort of collaborative flyway-scale management is well established in North America NAWMP introduced in 1986 due to recognition of the continuing loss of habitat and declines in waterfowl populations and that a unified continental effort was required to restore this valuable resource to population levels that existed in the 1970's.

8 Trends in North American ducks Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Waterfowl population status, 2016.

9 Trends in North American ducks There are some exceptions, but not many! For more details visit:

10 Trends in North American duck harvests The increase in duck numbers has allowed harvests to increase sustainably

The contribution of duck wing data Differences in plumage and moult strategy means that wing feathers can allow us to identify the age and sex of the bird This allows us to build up a picture

11 The contribution of duck wing data Differences in plumage and moult strategy means that wing feathers can allow us to identify the age and sex of the bird This allows us to build up a picture of the composition of the bag In turn, this can help inform our understanding of changes in the structure of the population It can also help us to understand the sustainability of the hunting

12 Lots of valuable research too

History of duck wing surveys in the UK An excellent example of collaborative monitoring Jeffery Harrison (WAGBI) and Hugh Boyd (Wildfowl Trust) initiated the Duck Production Survey in 1965 This took

13 History of duck wing surveys in the UK An excellent example of collaborative monitoring Jeffery Harrison (WAGBI) and Hugh Boyd (Wildfowl Trust) initiated the Duck Production Survey in 1965 This took place annually, supported by ~200 committed wildfowlers, submitting on average 3,000 wings, reaching 6,600 wings in 1995/96 Majority were Mallard, Teal and Wigeon This resulted in the seminal publication Duck Wings in 1975

History of duck wing surveys in the UK The Duck Production Survey ran, in various guises, until the mid 1990s and was latterly supported by JNCC through it s work with BASC and WWT to monitor

14 History of duck wing surveys in the UK The Duck Production Survey ran, in various guises, until the mid 1990s and was latterly supported by JNCC through it s work with BASC and WWT to monitor wildfowl populations In September 1994, John Harradine wrote: Much could be gained by linking the [duck wings and ringing] studies more closely Further benefits could be obtained by increasing the exchange of information between respective international wing, count and ringing studies to improve the effectiveness of the monitoring of duck population dynamics The results of such collaboration at the national and international levels should then be made more widely available to assist other wildfowl biology and management studies Unfortunately however, the survey ended soon after as a result of a loss of financial support and practical constraints regarding posting of wings

Duck wing schemes elsewhere In Europe, wing surveys have been extensive and concerted attempts at coordination were made in the 1980s see Harradine and Clausager 1990 BASC and the Danish Game Biology

15 Duck wing schemes elsewhere In Europe, wing surveys have been extensive and concerted attempts at coordination were made in the 1980s see Harradine and Clausager 1990 BASC and the Danish Game Biology Station established European Duck Wing Survey in 1984, involving countries from Baltic to Mediterranean It also did not survive and nowadays annual schemes only exist in Denmark and France, with occasional surveys in Finland, Iceland and Latvia Parts collection surveys are a well established and important part of population management in North America see 13,191 wings were sent to Aarhus University, Kalø in 2015/16

16 Why redevelop this now in the UK? An increasing need for less passive, more proactive management of huntable ducks to maintain populations and sustainable hunting It would augment effort elsewhere in Europe, particularly France, to develop duck wing surveys And support further efforts to improve other datasets counts, sex ratios, ringing, etc

17 Why redevelop this now in the UK? Further, fewer data are now collected on the demography of duck populations through ringing hunters can therefore make a very significant contribution to this Ringing and recoveries of huntable ducks Number ringed p.a. Number recovered p.a. Data from BTO for British and Irish ringing scheme

Group, reformed in 2013, provides a framework for the coordination of

18 Why redevelop this now in the UK? The Wetlands International / IUCN SSC Waterbird Harvest Specialist Group, reformed in 2013, provides a framework for the coordination of harvest management Two key publications by WHSG set out the needs for sustainable management of huntable waterbirds

19 What have we done so far? Trial studies have been carried out in recent years with Clevedon WA, Wentloog WCA and Devon WCA Interest and participation was high and provided a useful platform for further development Wigeon Mallard Pintail Teal 0 Wigeon Mallard Teal % adult % 1st-w % male % female Data from 63 wings collected by Clevedon WA and Wentloog WCA, 2012/13

20 What have we done so far? Pat Gubb from Devon WCA has also been analysing wings, mainly Wigeon, for many years Year Ad M Ad F Imm M Imm F Total % Imm 08/ / / / / /

21 What have we done so far? BASC also carried out a pilot national survey this winter, and we held a workshop yesterday

Ageing and sexing guide ONCFS and the Duck SG have produced a new guide to ageing and sexing commonly hunted ducks Publication of the English version was

22 Ageing and sexing guide ONCFS and the Duck SG have produced a new guide to ageing and sexing commonly hunted ducks Publication of the English version was funded by BASC Available to download for free at: /duckwings or basc.org.uk/wildfowling/ wings/ Or hard copies can be purchased from ONCFS

Next steps Discuss with wildfowling clubs how best to develop a national or larger regional schemes What level of interest is there among clubs? What are clubs able to contribute?

25 Next steps Discuss with wildfowling clubs how best to develop a national or larger regional schemes What level of interest is there among clubs? What are clubs able to contribute? Are there any concerns about this among club members? Assess the effectiveness of using digital photography Develop an enlarged survey for 2018/19 Hold another wing bee in ~March 2019

Conclusions An increasing number of European duck populations are

approach to the monitoring and sustainable management of these

provision of crucial data on population structure and bag

26 Conclusions An increasing number of European duck populations are in decline We need to develop more strategic and proactive approach to the monitoring and sustainable management of these birds Wildfowlers have a key role to play in this through the provision of crucial data on population structure and bag composition Further information available at

HUNTING AND PROTECTION OF WATERFOWL UNDER THE AEWA

Gene_l Stock Free Images HUNTING AND PROTECTION OF WATERFOWL UNDER THE AEWA Dr John Harradine Director of Research, BASC African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement Under 1983 Bonn Convention on the Conservation