The rain and snow that started Monday night resulted in hundreds of migrating ducks landing on roadways in Woodbury County and being killed by vehicles.
State waterfowl biologist, Orrin Jones, says once the birds hit the weather system they decided to land and then mistook wet pavement for a body of water.
OC……..moving vehicles” :11
Over 200 dead ducks were counted on Highway 20 east towards Hwy. 71 Tuesday morning and there were likely many more out of sight in the ditch.
Jones says it was just a bad combination of weather and the area where they landed.
OC……..as vehicles approached” :21
State Conservation Officer Steve Griebel, of Woodbury County, says he started getting phone calls and text messages about ducks on the road around 9:30 p-m. Monday.
Jones says the ducks misfortune was confined to this area:
OC……those counties” :12
The ducks were mostly bluebills, but there were mallards, buffleheads, and teal in what must have been an epic migration.
