There is one essential environmental "ingredient" that is synonymous with skies full of ducks: rain. Waterfowl biologists and seasoned waterfowl hunters alike will tell us there is a direct correlation between a "wet" spring and thriving populations of ducks.

Last spring, we had a wet season with plenty of rain in Indiana and the upper reaches of the Midwest. Ditches along the roadways that I travel had standing water in them (for a change) and the ponds along my travel routes were filled up to normal levels.

Twice last spring, I've had to come to the rescue of ducklings that had wondered into harm's way -- once in my front yard and once along the interstate. Although these rescues won't sway any scientific statistical study that duck populations are headed up, I have to believe that ducks enjoyed a good spring in terms of rearing new ducks.

Each year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) publishes a Waterfowl Population Status Report. The intent of this report is to help set up hunting regulations in the United States for the upcoming waterfowl season. This report includes the latest breeding population and propagation (success) information available for waterfowl in North America, and it is the end result of unified efforts put forth by the USFWS, the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS), various state and provincial conservation agencies, and private conservation organizations.

The following information is from the 2005 survey. At press time, the new survey for 2006 had not yet been released. However, because of the long-term approach of the survey results (from prior years), an extrapolation about the status of waterfowl in North America can be determined.

Much of the information that goes into the Waterfowl Population Status Report is obtained by surveys that are conducted using fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. These "fly-over" surveys are performed on a whopping 2 million square miles that encompass the principal breeding areas of North America.

The USFWS divides the principal breeding region (for ducks) into two strata or major divisions. One of these is the traditional survey area, and it comprises parts of Alaska, Canada, and the north-central U.S. This area is approximately 1.3 million square miles in size.

The other major survey area is the eastern area, which includes parts of Ontario, Quebec, Labrador, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, New York and Maine. This area is approximately .7 million square miles in size.

The total duck population estimate is 31.7 million birds, which is similar to 2004's estimate of 32.3 million. However, the 2004 estimate was 5 percent below the 1955-2004 long-term average.

One of the primary species of ducks that are hunted in Hoosierland is the mallard. Mallard abundance in the survey was 6.8 million birds, which was 9 percent below the 2004 estimate of 7.4 million birds and 10 percent below the long-term average.

The survey had good news for northern shovelers because they were 67 percent above the long-term average. In addition, there was good news for gadwall and green-winged teal numbers as well, as both were above average.