Black Bellied Whistling Duck vs Wood Duck

[laduck]

I have been thinking about this for several weeks. A few weeks ago I went on a little fishing trip on the lower Pearl River ( caught a few, but not many). Anyway, I must have passed 8-10 wood duck boxes. On every box there was a pair of whistling ducks. I would think that all of the wood ducks would have hatched out way back. Just wondering if the whistling ducks are giving our wood ducks a hard time. Jack

[Seymore]

I wouldn't think so. I don't have any scientific data or anything to back that up other that the limit was upped last year to 3. If they weren't doing well I don't think the limit would have been raised.

[litlhitch]

dont know much about Black-bellied whistling ducks other than that they are cavity nesters and if you saw them on WODU boxes, its a good chance they have an affinity for nesting in similar sized cavities as WODU's. good observation and question..the WODU limit being raised to 3 is such a recent thing and so is the expansion of the black bellied whistling duck's range..there are plenty of cavities out there in the woods (natural and boxes), but there could definately be some competition between the two if the whistling ducks range continues to expand

[speckulator]

Ive spoken with an officer about this exact thing .... Actually it was last season..... The woodys are pushed from these boxes by the Whisling ducks. Thing is when the season gets here you will not see those mexican ducks anywhere around! No significant mortality loss of the woodys..... Just a little bit of nesting competition in the Condos!