Incidence of Second Broods by Wood Ducks in Alabama and Georgia

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Abstract
Second brood production by wood ducks (Aix sponsa) nesting in eastcentral Alabama and westcentral Georgia was .gtoreq. 6.9 and 11.5% of successful nests in 1985 and 1986, respectively. There was a negative correlation (r = -0.86) between latitude and percent of hens producing second broods. Second broods increased production of flight-stage birds an estimated 1.1-2.6% in 1985 and 2.0-4.7% in 1986. The interval between hatch of the first clutch and initiation of the second clutch was 15-51 days in 1985 and 17-72 days in 1986. Thus, because wood duck females remain with their broods from 31 to 60 days, we concluded that some females that double-brooded either abandoned the first brood to initiate a second nest, initiated the second nest concurrent with brood rearing, or initiated the second nest after loss of the first brood.

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