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Northern Pintails Got Less Energy from Wetland Seeds Than Other Ducks

Research: Ecology, Physiology

How much energy a duck can get from wetland seeds depends partly on which duck is eating them. Researchers compared the energy three dabbling ducks could use from seeds of six moist-soil plants—wetland plants that grow on damp or exposed soil: Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) and Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca).

The researchers measured nitrogen-corrected true metabolizable energy, an estimate of the energy available to a bird after accounting for energy lost in its excreta. Across the duck-and-seed comparisons, estimates ranged from −0.29 to 2.58 kilocalories per gram. They varied with both duck species and seed species. Northern Pintails generally had estimates 1–2 kilocalories per gram lower than Mallards and Green-winged Teal.

Wetland managers use food-energy estimates to assess how many waterfowl a habitat might support and to help choose plants for restoration or management. Applying estimates based on Mallards—or pooled values from different ducks and seeds—to every species may oversimplify the energy available to the birds a particular area is intended to support. The findings show why estimates that account for both the ducks and the seeds in a planning area can give managers a more relevant picture of wetland food resources.

Sources and image credit

  1. True metabolizable energy of moist-soil seeds among dabbling duck speciesPrimærkilde. Publisher-record confirms the first-publication date and abstract-level findings, including the species comparison, overall energy range and lower estimates for Northern Pintails.

Image: A Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) swims across rippled wetland water. Photo: no rights reserved / iNaturalist; CC0 1.0. Representative photograph. · CC0 1.0 · Source

About this content: This story was produced with AI assistance within an editorial workflow developed by Wildlife Vagabond. Editorial responsibility remains with Wildlife Vagabond.How AI is used

Ecology

SPECIES IN THIS STORY

Species in this story

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Explore species Northern Pintail Anas acuta Explore species Green-winged Teal Anas crecca Explore species

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