Abstract
Conditions on the breeding grounds and the demographic parameters associated with the breeding season tend to influence waterfowl populations more significantly than any other part of their lifecycle (Koons et al. 2014). However, without adequate migration and winter habitat, waterfowl may experience lower seasonal survival and return to the breeding grounds in poorer body condition (Ankney and Macinnes 1978, Krapu 1981, Kaminski and Gluesing 1987, Johnson et al. 1992, Dubovsky and Kaminski 1994, Heitmeyer 1995, Newton 2006, Moon et al. 2007, DeVries et al. 2008, Guillemain et al. 2008, Anteau and Afton 2009, Sedinger and Alisauskas 2014). Poor body condition can result in reduced reproductive success, thus, lowering recruitment into the following year’s breeding population. Therefore, wintering habitat quantity and quality along the Gulf Coast is critical to many waterfowl species (NAWMP 1986, DU 1997). For example, Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors)spend ≤5 months on the breeding grounds, spending the remainder of the year in migration and on the wintering grounds (Rohwer et al. 2002). Given the downward trajectory of quantity and quality of most migration and wintering habitats for waterfowl, it is also important to ensure that additional significant population bottlenecks do not occur within the northern Gulf of Mexico geography (Figure 1.2).