The Central Flyway receives most of its waterfowl from the prairies as well as from the Western Boreal Forest and Arctic, with large numbers of ducks coming from Saskatchewan, eastern Alberta, North and South Dakota, and eastern Montana.

Total duck numbers in southern Saskatchewan were down 30 percent from last year’s estimate but remained 6 percent above the long-term average. In areas that received sufficient rainfall, semipermanent wetlands provided good habitat for breeding waterfowl. Nesting efforts were delayed by the late spring, however, and duck broods didn’t begin appearing until early July.

In the north-central United States, the eastern Dakotas, breeding duck numbers were similar to last year’s estimates and remained 33 percent above the long-term average. In the western Dakotas and Montana, duck numbers were also almost unchanged from the 2017 estimate and remained 29 percent above the long-term average.

In the Great Plains Region habitat conditions across the Dakotas and northeastern Montana have improved, thanks to ample late spring and summer rains in many areas. Given this year’s waterfowl breeding population estimates and habitat conditions, the region’s contribution to the fall flight will likely be near the long-term average.

Central Flyway goose populations remain high, but a late spring on key breeding areas may have reduced production of many species. Average or below-average breeding success was expected for prairie-breeding Canada geese as well as northern-nesting lesser Canada geese, snow geese, Ross’s geese, and white-fronted geese. As a result, this year’s fall flight may include a lower proportion of juvenile geese than in recent years.

Check www.ducks.org and tpwd.texas.gov for more information.