The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently released the result of its annual waterfowl breeding surveys, and the data shows a boom in formation. Optimum nesting conditions across the prairies for this northern America and southern Canada helped spur an estimated count of 45.6 million ducks, which is an 11 percent increase over last year's estimate of 55.8 million. The key is the this year's figure is 35 percent above the long-term average of the surveys which have been conducted since 1955.