Duck food

rich scheffer

rich scheffer

Well-known member
I have land in North Dakota there are many pothole ponds on it. I have seen ads for aquatic plants (wild celery, wild rice, duck potato, etc}in magazines. Has anyone had experience with planting these in ponds to enhance the duck population? Do you have to replant each year? Is it a big job to plant, or can you just paddle around and throw the seedlings around? Rich
 
I am no expert. But, I looked into it once for a friend that owns a lake/river system that could have used it. I found that some of the plants for sale were native plants. So I simply transplanted some and it worked. Buttonbush and wild rice mostly.
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Freshwater stuff in low energy environments is very easy to transplant and get to grow if the water quality is right in the new site. Just dig up plugs from the donor site and plant in the new site. Keep them wet and cool during transport. The bigger the plugs the better.
You can also pull plugs, put them in stock tanks with sediment in them and grow them out until they fill the bottom. Then transplant.
Stick with native species, they will re-grow from tubers or seeds every spring.

But be careful, if you get plants from public waters, or transplant into public waters, you may need a permit from the local DNR/DEQ.
Plus if you screw up and transplants invasives like milfoil or hydrilla, you can get in a lot of trouble.
Once again, stick with native stuff.
 
Thank you Carl, I should have said that.
That was why I went with local stuff. I wasn't sure if what they were selling was native or not. Milfoil being a big problem up here in the Adirondacks in some areas.
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Down here, milfoil is a mixed blessing: extremely productive biologically and ducks (gadwalls, teal, divers, coots) love to eat it and/or the critters on it. But its invasive as hell and forms huge mats. That makes it very hard to fish in and makes it hard for predators to utilize all the critters in it.
But if I had to choose between no grass or milfoil, I'll take milfoil!
 
I would guess that if there are ponds in the Dakotas that don't have plant growth there are reasons for it. Things like how permanent the pond is, water clarity, depth or even carp can keep them bare. If carp can get into the ponds it will be hard to ever grow much for plants.
How big and deep of ponds are we talking about?

Tim
 
No carp in these ponds not deep enough to get under the ice. These ponds hav'nt been dry in twenty years or so, Are sorrounded by cat tails. decent amount of vegetation ,would just like to hold a few more ducks.Enhance their habitat as much as possible. Ponds are two to ten acres each, waist deep surrounded by what was crp land. Since that expired and was not renewed we are cutting hay on it.Lots of nests each spring,lots of little bitties, just want to help them along! Rich
 
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I would not know were to buy wild rice to grow but I have harvested it at a local lake and put it in one of the ponds we made at my parents. My brother and I collected half a gunny sack full in the fall. Then we sunk the sack in the water during the winter (the rice needs the cold water to germinate properly). In the spring we recovered the sack spread the seed in the shallow areas. spreading the seed was very scientific and precise, we would grab a handful and throw it in shallow areas. We did this about 10 years ago and have not had to replant. In midsummer you cannot see the water the rice is so thick. The pond is about 7 acres and typically holds 3-6 breading pairs of ducks not bad for northern Minnesota. Becareful because the rice will spread very easily.
 
I'd definitely get the prior approval in writing from your local authorities before doing anything. We can get fined for even the unintentional spreading of plant life, clinging to boat trailers and such.
 
If you have sago pondweed in them then you probably have one of the better duck plants. If you don't I'm sure the state can tell you how to get some going in them. Have you noticed if there are freshwater shrimp in these ponds? In the summer ducks eat lots of little crawly things and sago will be full of critters.

I'd think sago is better then duck potatoes (I don't even think ducks eat them), wild rice (matures late summer to early fall so that might not be bad) and I think wild celery is more of a fall/winter food.

If you wanted to do some edge planting you'd have to do some serious clearing of cattails. That isn't something that happens easily.

The best thing for the ducks and other birds might just be leaving a good sized buffer between the pond and the cut hay. Not always a possibility I know.

Tim
 
Have you noticed if there are freshwater shrimp in these ponds? In the summer ducks eat lots of little crawly things and sago will be full of critters.
Click to expand...

Good point, ducklings are mainly eating inverts! So a good invert supply is important for them.
Any submerged weeds should be full of inverts. Coontail is a good one, should be native as well.
 
Rich,

I'd call the regional private lands biologist and the state waterfowl biologist at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department:

http://gf.nd.gov/about/staff/wildlife.html


And, I'd also contact the ND private lands coordinator for the Partners for Fish & Wildlife program (US Fish and Wildlife Service):

http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/pfw/nd/nd6.htm

I believe these folks can provide advice for establishing native wetland plants, give you contact info for nurseries that specialize in wetland plants, and give guidance for preventing the spread of invasives.
 
Contact the local wildlife extension agent and the NRCS in the area where your land is located, they should be able to direct you to appropriate species and the required maintenance for soil type, water, and other local conditions.

Matt
 
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