Consumption of Cereal Grains by Migratory Waterfowl

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Abstract
The avg. daily intake of cereal grains, by seasons, was recorded for 3 spp. of wild waterfowl held in captivity in outdoor pens. Diets fed included whole corn, mixed grains, small grains and tame rice. The amt. of food eaten by Anas platyrhynchos, A. discors and Branta canadensis, varied inversely with the seasonl level of air temp. During avg. weather conditions in Illinois in early fall, A. platyhynchos consumed an avg. of 0.16 lb. of small grains and 0.13 lb. corn, daily. During late fall and winter the intake of small grains and corn increased to 0.18 and 0.16 lb. per bird, respectively. The intake of tame rice was approx. equal to that of small grains. Adult males ate more than did adult females except during the breeding season when the relationship was reversed. Rapidly growing game-farm mallards consumed 44% more food than adults. The amt. of food taken by A. platyrhynchos was 2 1/2 times that taken by A. discors, and roughly 1/2 that taken by B. canadensis. Food intake and body wt. seemed to be directly related.

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