On Lake Ontario Wednesday, there were no ducks to be found.
It’s a mystery on the shores of Lake Ontario and other water sources. Why are some breeds ducks dying? Is it the arctic weather or something else?
For wildlife, the brutal cold this winter has made it challenging to find food. But for some species of ducks, this winter has proved to be particularly challenging – and in many cases, deadly.
Most of the ducks that have disappeared have small mouths, which makes small fish their primary source of food, particularly minnows that thrive in shallow waters.
Experts think the red breasted mergansers “are very stressed by this cold weather and they could be having a difficult time finding food.” But they’re not sure yet. They’re trying to determine whether the cold weather has restricted the food supply so much that the birds are starving, or if it’s something else.
http://www.whec.com/news/stories/S3350382.shtml?cat=565
Thanks to njsnowfan for this link