Techniques for studying nest success of ducks in upland habitats in the prairie pothole region

Selected procedures are described for conducting nesting studies of upland nesting ducks in the prairie pothole region. Emphasis is on the use of standard procedures so that comparable results can be obtained. Major topics addressed are finding nests by flushing hens with drags pulled by vehicles, recording of appropriate data, and calculating nest success rates. Techniques are described for conducting nest searches, candling eggs in the field, determining fate of clutches, and identifying species from evidence at nests. Two methods are presented for calculating nest success.