Waterfowl Nest Boxes
Waterfowl nest boxes started being built and installed at various wetlands throughout the reservation in 2003. They are checked annually for signs of use by wood ducks and other wildlife. As of February 2012, six wetlands have a total of 35 wood duck boxes installed and maintained.
Annual checks of the boxes have revealed average use by wood ducks to be about 20%, other animals such as flickers, wasps, other waterfowl (mergansers), and small mammals to be about 19%, and approximately 61% not used.
Funding for the construction of duck boxes is provided through the BIA Circle of Flight Program. Additional funds are being pursued to expand waterfowl improvement projects and monitoring activities. Some changes we plan to incorporate are: adding different styles of artificial nest boxes to accommodate more species, improve locations of current boxes (low water levels have left a few high and dry), install predator guards and add more wetland sites for artificial nest boxes and monitoring. We hope to increase our percentage of nest box usage with these improvements.
Nest boxes can be observed at the following locations:
Mud Lakes, Baraga
Sand Point, Baraga
L'Anse Bay, Baraga
Huron Bay, L'Anse
Pinery Lakes, L'Anse
Robillard Impoundment, L'Anse
Links:
Map of Duck Box Locations