The Duck Specialist Group is a global network of duck specialists working on the monitoring, research, conservation and management of wild duck populations. The DSG strives to facilitate effective communication and transfer of knowledge and best practice between members and others with an interest in duck management and conservation. It works closely with the Threatened Waterfowl Specialist Group (TWSG), whose focus includes globally threatened duck species, and now incorporates the formerly separate Seaduck Specialist Group.
Latest news
A statement outlining key conclusions by delegates attending the 3rd Pan-European Duck Symposium, held in April 2012, was issued on 8 May 2012. The Jindrichuv Hradec statement was circulated to AEWA, ORNIS and Ramsar representatives, and highlights the current key issues for duck conservation and management in Europe. [added 10 May 2012]
A very successful and enjoyable week in Jindrichuv Hradec, Czech Republic, has recently been concluded. A workshop on European seaduck conservation was held on the 24 April 2012, and further information on the outputs of this will be posted here soon. A meeting of the Nordic Waterbirds and Climate Network was held on the 25 April, and the 3rd Pan-European Duck Symposium took place on the 26-28 April. Special thanks go to Petr Musil and his team for their excellent organisation of PEDS3. Photos from the week and the book of abstracts will soon be available on the PEDS3 website, and a post conference statement will also be available online soon. [added 30 April 2012]
A new brochure outlining research on interactions between sea ducks and bottom fauna in a changing Baltic environment, called Sea Ducks in the Baltic Sea, is now available. [added 26 March 2012]
Final decisions for the 2012 Red List updates have been made by BirdLife International, and these can be viewed in detail on the Globally Threatened Bird Forums. Key decisions include the addition of several seaducks to the Red List - Velvet Scoter as Endangered, Long-tailed Duck and White-headed Steamerduck as Vulnerable, and Black/American Scoter as Near Threatened. Further, Baer's Pochard will be uplisted to Critically Endangered. [added 26 March 2012]
Forthcoming events
Ecology and Conservation of North American Wildfowl - a symposium and joint meeting of the North American Duck Symposium and the North American Arctic Goose Symposium. This large and wide ranging conference will be held in Memphis, Tennessee on 27-31 January 2013. Further details will be available here in due course.
The 5th International Sea Duck conference will be held in Iceland in September 2014. To register an interest and obtain further details please contact the organiser Jon Einar Jonsson.
The Duck Specialist Group Bulletin
The DSG Bulletin publishes short articles on duck management, research and conservation. The Bulletin is published periodically and its primary aim is to improve information exchange between duck specialists across the globe. We publish short papers with original data, progress reports of conservation projects, news items and requests for information. If you wish to submit an article for publication, please contact us.
Currently, bulletin production is not possible and for the foreseeable future the dissemination of news and other information will be either via this website or the DSG email forum, open to members. However, it is hoped the redevelopment of a bulletin can begin again soon, and any members interested in helping with this are asked to contact the coordinator.
Past events
The IUCN-SSC Chairs meeting took place in February 2012, and the DSG profile compiled for this meeting, covering the quadrennium 2008-2011, can be seen here.
The Nordic Waterbirds and Climate Network held their 2nd conference in Oster Malma, Sweden on 24-28 October 2011. Delegates focused on Mallard and Eider and examined issues such as shifting distributions and monitoring effectiveness. Further details can be found here.
The 4th International Sea Duck Conference was held in Seward, Alaska, USA on 12-16 September 2011. Further details can be found here.
A workshop on seaducks in the Baltic Sea was held on 14-15 June 2011, hosted by Kjell Larsson (Gotland University). Further details can be found here.
The 2nd Pan-European Duck Symposium was held in Arles, France, 23-26 March 2009. The conference proceedings were published as Special Issue No.2 of Wildfowl and the papers can be downloaded from the Wildfowl website. If you are interested in obtaining a hard copy, please contact the Coordinator.
The 1st Pan-European Duck Symposium was held in Denmark in March 2006. Abstracts of the oral and poster presentations are available on request from the Coordinator.
Enquiries to: Richard Hearn, Global Coordinator, Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire GL2 7BT, UK. Email: duckspecialistgroup@wwt.org.uk