Student researchers from @myUND gathering data about ducks, their young and the wetlands that support them with help and support from @DucksUnlimited and @USGS.

Joined May 2017
290 Photos and videos
As summer comes to an end, so does the heat! We are sure that this hen is thankful for the fall weather that is approaching. #DYK hens pant just like other animals to stay cool in the sun while laying in her nest. #DucksUnlimited #ducknest #hen #fallweather #summerheat
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#DYK hens will turn and move eggs within the nest to maintain close contact with the brood patch and to promote even heat distribution!
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Here is our #species breakdown of nests located this summer! Our most common nest was #BWTE with a total of 172 nests! The second most common was #GADW with 40 nests! Can you guess what bird species we found that would have fallen into the “other” category?
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A true birds eye view! #DYK that in recent years #drones have become an increasingly popular tool to survey and capture imagery of #wildlife and their landscapes?
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#DYK that #grazing animals such as cattle prevent overgrowth of vegetation which encourages nutrient cycling to keep the vegetation productive and the soil and #wetlands healthy for #waterfowl and other native species?
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#DYK that on average it takes at least 12 hours for a duck egg to #hatch and up to 48 hours once it starts #pipping? Pipping is a crucial stage in #development as it allows the #duckling to build up strength to eventually leave the nest and make the journey to a nearby #wetland!
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Our nest #dragging season has come to an end! Despite the #drought conditions our Real Duck Tails team found a total of 295 #duck and #shorebird nests! Our most common species was #BWTE with estimated 166 nests!
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What the #hen see versus what we see on our #nestcams!
Do you know which #marsh bird these #eggs belong to? Check in the comments to find out!
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The Virginia Rail is a secretive marsh bird that commonly wanders along #marsh edges and in #reeds. They are easily detected by their call, but we were able to locate a #best during one of our #wetland surveys.
UND #grassland technicians working on studying effects of high intensity short duration #grazing on grassland bird nests. They are candling #songbird eggs to monitor embryo development.
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We want to say a huge thank you to the @undalumni and @und_admissions for sending our UND/Ducks Unlimited crew some new shirts and gear for out in the field! #myund #undproud #undalumni #undbiology #undergraduateresearch
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#ducks use small, shallow #wetlands early in spring. These Type I wetlands are the first to warm and therefore the first to produce #invertebrates on which birds can feed.
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What is your go-to lunch during the #fieldseason? If you ask our Real Duck Tails team, #sandwiches and #granolabars are a must have!
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We are at halfway point for #nestsearching this summer! Despite the #drought conditions we have a CURRENT TOTAL OF 177 NESTS! #chaindragging #ducknests #grasslands #eggs
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Take-off! After all the storms this week we finally got the chance to take to the skies and continue #droneresearch! #birdsarentreal
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Can you find the Wilson’s Phalarope #nest in this picture?
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When reviewing footage from last field season, we caught a unique #depredation event on camera! In this clip, a #deer can be seen eating a #duckegg!
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Our third week of nest searching is complete! We have found a total of 124 nests! Today we got to see this #killdeer nest with three #chicks and one hatching egg! #precocial #ducknest
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