Mottled Duck
Mottled Duck has collapsed: down 78% on the route-weighted index since 1968.
About the Mottled Duck
The Mottled Duck (Anas fulvigula) is a North American member of the Ducks, Geese & Waterfowl (Anatidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the waterfowl.
- Size
- 12–43.5 in long (30–110 cm) — a medium to large waterfowl (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Lakes, ponds, rivers, marshes and sheltered coastal waters.
- Diet
- Aquatic plants, seeds and invertebrates, dabbled at the surface or dived for.
- Range
- Recorded on 150 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 8 states, most concentrated in the Peninsular Florida.
- Family
- Anatidae · Waterfowl
Notable Mottled Duck Trends
Mottled Duck has collapsed in surveyed states: down 78% on the route-weighted index since 1968.
Mottled Duck Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Mottled Duck is projected to stay roughly flat through 2029, near 0.04 (95% range 0.00–0.12). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±110.7%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.05 | 0.00 | 0.13 |
| 2026 | 0.05 | 0.00 | 0.13 |
| 2027 | 0.05 | 0.00 | 0.13 |
| 2028 | 0.04 | 0.00 | 0.12 |
| 2029 | 0.04 | 0.00 | 0.12 |
Where the Mottled Duck Is Detected
BBS routes recording Mottled Duck, sized by most recent count.
Mottled Duck Population Trend by State
| Alabama | -33% | 1992 | 3 |
| Arkansas | insufficient data | n/a | 2 |
| Florida | -77% | 1968 | 60 |
| Kansas | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| Louisiana | -37% | 1969 | 34 |
| Mississippi | -83% | 2001 | 4 |
| South Carolina | insufficient data | n/a | 2 |
| Texas | -88% | 1969 | 44 |
Mottled Duck Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| Oaks and Prairies | -7% | 1971 | 7 |
| Mississippi Alluvial Valley | -36% | 1991 | 14 |
| Southeastern Coastal Plain | -48% | 1992 | 9 |
| Peninsular Florida | -79% | 1968 | 59 |
| Tamaulipan Brushlands | -41% | 1973 | 14 |
| Gulf Coastal Prairie | -81% | 1969 | 43 |
Mottled Duck Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it down about 78% since 1968.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.