MOVEMENTS AND HABITAT USE OF MALLARD BROODS IN NORTHEASTERN CALIFORNIA

To increase recruitment of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), wildlife man agers must understand the habitat and space needs of mallard broods. D uring 1989-90, we examined the movements, home range, and habitat use of 27 radio-marked mallard broods on Lower Klamath National Wildlife R efuge, California. Twelve of the 27 broods made 22 relocation movement s (> 1,000 m in 24 hr) in the first week (n = 6) and after the fourth (n = 16) week of life. Mean home range size was 0.93 km2 (SE = 0.25) a nd did not differ between years (P = 0.26). Brood-rearing females sele cted seasonally flooded wetlands with a cover component and avoided op en or permanently flooded habitats. In 1989, broods hatched in permane nt wetlands were less successful in fledging (P = 0.006) radio-marked ducklings than broods from seasonal wetlands, suggesting habitat avail ability or movement to preferred habitats may affect duckling survival .