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Frank B. McGilvrey

Publications and source records attributed to Frank B. McGilvrey.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS1971

A starling-deterrent wood duck nest box

In many parts of the United States, the starling ( Sturnus vulgaris ) has I become a serious competitor for nest boxes erected for wood ducks ( Aix sponsa ). Research at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center and at Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge near Rock Hall, Maryland, demonstrated that horizontal nest structures with semicircular entrance holes 11 inches in diameter were acceptable to nesting wood ducks but discouraged nesting by starlings. Starlings seemed to prefer boxes in open impoundments to those in wooded impoundments, whereas wood ducks seemed to show no preference.

Maryland↗
USGS1971

Nesting by a yearling Canada goose

A free-flying Canada goose ( Branta canadensis interior ), known to be just under a year old, laid a clutch of four eggs at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. At least half of the 2-year-old females nest at Patuxent, and almost all of the 3-year-olds nest. As far as we know, this is the first record of nesting by a yearling Canada goose.

Maryland↗
USGS1969

Survival in wood duck broods

Mortality of wood ducklings ( Aix sponsa ) from hatching to 6 weeks of age averaged 47 percent during a 4-year study at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. Over 90 percent of the total mortality occurred during the first 2 weeks of life. Brood bonds began to dissolve after the fifth week. hlortality after 2 weeks was so low that Class I1 broods were believed to provide reliable estimates of production to flying age. Once-a-week brood censuses proved unreliable in estimating survival, but twice-a-xveek counts were accurate enough to estimate total broods and survival to Class II age.

Maryland↗
USGS1966

Fall food habits of wood ducks from Lake Marion, South Carolina

A total of 108 stomachs of wood ducks ( Aix sponsa ) collected from hunters on the upper end of Lake Marion, South Carolina, between November 29 and December 6, 1961, were examined for information on food habits. Six plants made up over 98 percent of the total volume. Five were tree fruits: water and pin oak ( Quercus nigra and Q. palustris ), baldcypress ( Taxodium distichum ), sweetgum ( Liquidambar styraciflua ), and water hickory ( Carya aquatica ). The sixth important food was corn ( Zea mays ). In areas being managed for wood ducks and timber, therefore, these tree species should not be removed.

South Carolina↗
USGS1966

Fall food habits of ducks near Santee Refuge, South Carolina

During the 1961 waterfowl hunting season, 360 stomachs of 10 duck species were collected from hunters near the Santee National Wildlife Refuge, Lake Marion, South Carolina. Based on percentage of total volume, 20 of the most important foods are listed. The six most important duck species in the kill were: mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos ), wood duck ( Aix sponsa ), widgeon ( Mareca americam ), pintail ( Anas acuta ) , black duck ( Anas rubripes ) , and green-winged teal ( Anas carolinensis ). Six plant species made up 5 percent or more of the total volume of food items found in the stomachs of all ducks. Only seeds of oaks ( Quercus sp.), corn, sweet gum ( Liquidambar Styraciflua ), and buttonbush ( Cephalanthus occidentalis ) were consumed. Some seed, but mostly the vegetative portions of hydrochloa ( Hydrochloa carolinensis ) and only the vegetative portions of southern rice cutgrass ( Leersia hexandra ) were taken. The more important game ducks concentrated on the refuge farmlands when water levels were below 72 feet mean sea level (msl). When levels reached 75 feet msl, natural foods became available, ducks dispersed from refuge areas, and hunting success increased greatly.

South Carolina↗
USGS1966

Second nestings of the wood ducks

This is a description of the renesting of two Wood Ducks ( Aix sponsa ) after hatching broods. I can find but two previous records of such behavior. Barnes (Auk, 65: 449, 1948) reported an incident of a hand-reared bird nesting in the wild in Indiana. This female was unable to get her brood out of the nest box, and subsequently hatched a second brood. Hester (SE Wildlife Conf., 1962; 8 pp., mimeo.) in North Carolina had records of four hens that renested after hatching first broods. Three of these brought off second broods.

The Auk↗
USGS1966

Nesting of hooded mergansers of the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, Maryland

The first known record of Hooded Mergansers ( Lophodytes cucullatus ) nesting on the coastal plain of Maryland was in 1961, when Mr. Francis Uhler (pers. comm) found two clutches in Wood Duck nest boxes in impoundments at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, about five miles southeast of Laurel, Maryland. R.E. Stewart and C.S. Robbins (“Birds of Maryland and the District of Columbia,” N. Amer. Fauna no. 62, 1958; see p. 102) reported two records of broods for Maryland, one for the Piedmont and one for the mountains.

Maryland↗
USGS1965

Control of alligatorweed in South Carolina with granular silvex

Silvex, [2-(2,4,5-trichlorophenoxy)propionic acid], impregnated (20% ae) on clay granules, applied at a rate as low as 20 lb/A ae gave excellent control of well-rooted alligatorweed [ Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Grieb] growing in less than 18 inches of water. The 2-ethylhexyl ester of silvex was more effective than the potassium salt. Silvex was not effective on floating-mat alligatorweed or in water over 18 inches deep.

South Carolina↗