Many waterfowl species will benefit from habitat improvements like supplemental plantings. These same habitat improvements will also attract more mallard duck, the most popular and most sought after water fowl species in the U.S. Cover, food and shallow water are the basic habitat requirements needed for good waterfowl management. Ducks are mostly herbivores, characterized as grazers and seed eaters, and have diverse diets of grasses, forbs, seeds, fruits, acorns, cultivated crops and aquatic plants. Food plantings of seed producing plants around the edges and in waterfowl impoundment can provide excellent food and habitat for waterfowl.

Some practical pond management such as thinning or removing non-mast crop trees along the water's edge could help to increase sunlight exposure to the soil thus increasing natural food supplies from seed-producing weed and grass plants. Also carefully controlling water levels in waterfowl impoundments helps provide good growth for your supplemental food source and encourage natural food supplies to grow. Waterfowls are federally regulated migratory birds, and you should pay close attention to federal and state regulations regarding field management.