Other Forestry and Forest Sciences Commons^™

South Dakota Bird Notes, Keith E. Evans, Roger R. Kerbs

USDA Forest Service / UNL Faculty Publications

APPROXIMATELY 90,000 small stock ponds are scattered throughout South Dakota. The majority of these ponds are less than 10 acres in size, and depend entirely on surface runoff for their water supply. Although their primary purpose is to provide drinking water for livestock, many species of waterfowl and shorebirds use the pond areas for resting and feeding during spring and fall migrations, and for nesting habitat throughout the summer.

Neither the amount of use nor the potential for use by birds on stock ponds in South Dakota is known. Preliminary data presented here are results of waterfowl observations on 13 …