Wild Mallard Release and Banding Project

Several years ago, regardless of weather conditions in the northern states, most of the migratory mallards would arrive at their over-wintering habitat by January. In recent years the large over-wintering habitat areas of Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and especially the Reelfoot lake area have lacked the numbers of mallards usually present. There are concerns that what happened to the Canada Geese migration pattern could now be happening with the mallards that have traditionally flown south in the Mississippi Flyway.

This leads to AWA's most popular and one of it's most beneficial projects in getting "hands-on" involvement. This project is the raising and releasing of genetically wild mallards into suitable habitat in Alabama.

AWA receives one-day-old mallards from the Jack Frost Waterfowl Trust in Coloma, Wisconsin. AWA volunteers raise these ducks by strict guidelines, minimizing human imprinting. AWA then places leg bands on the 35-day-old mallards and release these ducks on private land through a program called the Mallard Stewardship Projects (MSP), as wells as on public land.

Most of AWA's MSP participants have gone to great lengths to develop habitat that benefits many species of wildlife and these released ducks.

In Alabama, there is more habitat than there are available ducks to utilize this habitat. Increasing the harvest opportunity ensures interest in conserving Alabama's existing habitat and developing even more habitat.

AWA has banded and released over 35,000 mallards.   AWA has been involved in this for several years, proving these are the most desirable genetics for releasing mallards into the wild.

Benefits

• Directly increases in harvest opportunity. It is well known that if you increase harvest opportunity the private sector will be inspired to develop and conserve habitat to enjoy watching and hunting waterfowl.

• The release and yearly recruitment has increased watching and hunting opportunity, this increases tourism in Alabama, adding to the state and local economy.

• AWA involves youngsters to help raise, band and release the mallard ducks. This involves the youngsters and adults in a hands-on experience on conservation practices. This is an educational outreach tool.

• The band data AWA has collected is forwarded to the ADCNR and has shown that the state of Indiana’s Coal Reclamation projects are where many of the ducks that frequent the TRV of Alabama stage to replenish there diet and strength to continue their journey south.

Only Mother Nature Can Raise A Duck Better than (AWA) by Using Frost Waterfowl Trust Genetics.

We would like to take this opportunity to say a BIG THANKS to Leroy Heston "Papa Duck".  He worked diligently to get the 13-day-old Ducks out and into the Facility's pound today, June 15, 1999.  They are doing very well and this looks like another good year for the AWA Mallard Release Project.