Kip’s Comments - February 1, 2025

Don’t Drink the Water - A Question for Waterfowl Hunters

During my travels today I noticed 3 trumpeter swans resting on the new sewage lagoon for the City of Frederika. There is no doubt that trumpeter swans can make anything a bit prettier - even a poop pond. But seeing them on the frozen pond made me think of something I have often wondered about.

Trumpeter Swans on Sewage Lagoon - Image 940977

Waterfowl will land on, feed in, swim on, nest along just about any body of water - good or bad. I have often seen waterfowl - from ducks to geese to swans on sewage lagoons. Since the birds spend considerable time on these not-so-clean ponds, what does that do their meat? Do ducks that spent most of their time on a sewage lagoon before flying over a duck hunter elsewhere taste different? How does their time on less than ideal water affect them. Any wild duck eaters care to comment?