Birds of the Lower Ohio River Valley in West Virginia

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SURFACE-FEEDING DUCKS

American Black Duck  Anas rubripes

WINTER:  Fairly Common to Very Common Resident.  See Remarks section for CBC data, Mid-Winter Aerial Survey data and high counts.

SUMMER:  Casual Resident.  Nesting was documented in 1967 in Cabell Co., WV (LK) (Kiff et al. 1986).  Present on 1 (05 May 1991, WA, MG, JF, AT) of 9 Century Day Counts from 1987 to 1994 (WA).

MIGRATION:

 Spring:  Fairly Common to Very Common Migrant from mid-February to late March (Slack 1978).  Numerous April to May records are probably late migrants.  See Remarks section for high counts.

 Fall:  Fairly Common to Very Common Migrant from late October to mid-December.  Numerous September records are probably early migrants.  See Remarks section for high counts.

REMARKS:

Winter:  700 on 09 February 1966 on the Ohio River near Green Bottom WMA (WA); 650 on 12 January 1971 at Kyger Creek Power Plant (HS); 500 on 27 February 1971 at Kyger Creek Power Plant (HS); 400 on 12 December 1971 at Kyger Creek Power Plant (HS).

Spring High Counts:  150 on 02 March 1969 and 03 March 1979 at Kyger Creek Power Plant (HS); 104 on 06 March 1971 at McClintic WMA and Kyger Creek Power Plant (HS).

Fall High Counts:  290 on 26 November 1972 at Kyger Creek Power Plant (HS); 280 on 28 November 1971 at McClintic WMA and Kyger Creek Power Plant (HS); 250 on 21 November 1971 and 30 November 1975 at Kyger Creek Power Plant (HS).

Banding Data:  682 (7.6% of total Anatidae) were banded at McClintic WMA from 1953 to 1964.  Of 19.6% (134) recovered, excluding WV and Ohio, 78.9% (56) and 21.1% (15), respectively, were recovered north and south of the banding station.  66.1% (37) of recoveries north of the banding station were from Ontario, Canada.  73.3% of recoveries south of the banding station were from Tennessee (4), Alabama (3), Indiana (2) and North Carolina (2) (Donnelly 1967).

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT DATA

Huntington, WV (1940 to 2001):        Recorded on   84% of Counts.  Total Birds: 1,126.  Range: 1 to      98.
Mason County, WV (1953 to 1976):  Recorded on 100% of Counts.  Total Birds: 4,982.  Range: 3 to 1,124.
Ona, WV (1962 to 2001):                  Recorded on   98% of Counts.  Total Birds: 3,528.  Range: 2 to 2,008.

Huntington, WV(1940 to 2001):         Number of Counts: 61.  Birds/Party Hr.: <1.0.  Party Hr./Bird: 2.7.
Mason County, WV (1953 to 1976):  Number of Counts: 18.  Birds/Party Hr.: 14.1.  Party Hr./Bird: 0.1.
Ona, WV (1962 to 2001):                  Number of Counts: 40.  Birds/Party Hr.:   1.9.  Party Hr./Bird: 0.5.

MID-WINTER AERIAL SURVEY (WVDNR)
OHIO RIVER, POINT PLEASANT TO HUNTINGTON, WV

13 January 1989:    66.  03 January 1990:    40.  02 January 1991:       89.  07 January 1992:  111.  04 January 1993:  137.
10 January 1994:  249.  03 January 1995:  172.  03 January 1996:       90.  06 January 1997:  117.  05 January 1998:    18.
04 January 1999:  670.  05 January 2000:  172.  02 January 2001:  1,132.  07 January 2002:  180.  06 January 2003:      2.
05 January 2004:  163.  03 January 2005:    37.