Gizzards from 9,632 ducks bagged by hunters on or adjacent to 4 National Wildlife Refuges in Florida from 1973 through 1978 were examined for ingested lead and steel shot. Lead and/or steel shot were found in 197.4% of the 15 species represented. Mean ingestion rates ranged from more than 50% for both canvasbacks (Aythya valisineria) and ruddy ducks (Oxyurajamaicensis) to less than 10% for lesser scaups (A. affinis), green-winged teals (Anas crecca), blue-winged teals (A. discors), wigeons (A. americana), gadwalls (A. strepera), shovelers (A. c1ypeata) and fulvous whistling ducks (Dendrocygna him/or). Few differences were found in comparing male to female ingestion rates. Data also are presented on numbers of pellets in gizzards containing ingested shot.
