Florida's
Waterfowl Waterfowl
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The
2002-03 Florida Waterfowl Stamp Welcome to Florida's Waterfowl Web Site, created and maintained by the Waterfowl Management Section (WMS) of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Here you can learn about Florida's wetlands, resident waterfowl species, and migratory waterfowl that spend only a portion of the year in Florida's vast wetlands. Please use the navigation bar on the left to explore our site, we recommend that you start with the What's New page or use the FWC Search feature if you are searching for specific information. Waterfowl are among the most recognized and economically important wild animals in North America. Florida is visited by more than 20 species of migratory waterfowl each year and three species of ducks commonly nest in the state during spring and summer. Waterfowl provide significant economic and recreational benefits to the citizens of Florida. In Florida, naturalists, bird watchers, and hunters spend countless hours enjoying these birds. As human impact on the environment has increased, negative impacts on waterfowl populations also have increased. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's (FWC) Waterfowl Management Section (WMS), a part of the Bureau of Wildlife Resources, is charged with ensuring the continued well-being of these popular birds. Waterfowl management activities fall
into two categories: population monitoring and habitat management.
Biologists conduct aerial surveys every January in cooperation with the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to assess the distribution of wintering
ducks within the state. In March, we conduct an annual survey of mottled
ducks. Habitat management allows us to provide the greatest quantity
and highest quality of habitat possible to support Florida's waterfowl and
other wetland-wildlife. We provide technical assistance on wetland
conservation and management issues around the state. Biologists from the
Waterfowl Management Section also work with many agencies, organizations,
and private landowners cooperatively to manage wetlands. The Waterfowl
Management Section manages three public parcels for waterfowl habitat. One
area currently is being developed as a research area to investigate
nesting-habitat requirements for mottled
ducks; another is managed as a research area for wintering waterfowl; and a third area is
managed for rice and crayfish production and winter waterfowl
habitat. All these areas are designed to provide habitat while
allowing us to improve our understanding of how to manage habitat for
waterfowl. Two of these areas are currently open to waterfowl
hunting. This site is best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 or Netscape Navigator 3.0 or higher. This site was last updated on
Tuesday, February 04, 2003. This site was created on January 20, 2000. |
