Home
Ducks Unlimited Canada's Status Report of Waterfowl Habitats and Populations 
OAK HAMMOCK MARSH, MB, Oct. 6 - According to Ducks Unlimited Canada, North America's total fall flight of ducks is estimated to be about 84 million birds this year compared to over 90 million last year. An early spring and dry conditions throughout major breeding and nesting grounds in the southern Prairies have slightly reduced duck populations migrating south from Canada this year.
"We saw a 50 per cent reduction in the number of temporary and seasonal wetlands available this spring on the Prairies, compared to previous years,'' said Brian Gray, chief biologist for Ducks Unlimited Canada. Temporary and seasonal wetlands retain spring runoff and are usually dry by the summer. They are a key source of food for ducks, replenishing energy reserves after migration and contributing to egg production. Gray added that factors beyond weather contribute to the reduction of waterfowl habitat. "Many of the smaller wetlands were dry this spring on the Prairies, and as a result, they could be tilled and planted to agricultural crops. We also believe that early harvests, such as those experienced this year and last year, contribute to wetland loss because landowners have time to drain wetlands for next year's cultivation.''
Increased precipitation across the southern Prairies during mid-summer greatly improved habitat conditions, increasing the optimism that ducks returning next spring will encounter better wetland habitats than this year.
While agriculture is the key influence on Prairie habitats, other factors influence habitat across Canada. On the West Coast, high water from previous years and a warm spring created excellent habitat conditions for nesting waterfowl. Ducks Unlimited Canada has successfully conserved over 50,000 acres of critically important estuarine habitat in British Columbia but urban, industrial and agricultural development are constant threats to wildlife habitat. "We are working on a plan to conserve existing habitat in the Fraser River Estuary, the largest estuary in the province and one of the few major waterfowl wintering areas in Canada,'' Gray said.
Recent changes in land use that threatens waterfowl in the Fraser River Delta are shifts in agricultural production methods and the types of crops being planted. Greenhouses are replacing field cropping systems, effectively removing foraging potential for waterfowl. In addition, the move from corn and cereal crops to more competitive and lucrative crops, such as berry production, also reduces the amount of remnant food available to waterfowl in fields after harvest. "We are trying to develop management plans that allow agriculture and waterfowl to co-exist and thrive,'' Gray said.
In northern Alberta, waterfowl production was slightly lower than last year due to poor nesting habitat in the spring. Habitat in northern Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario ranged from good to excellent this year, resulting in average duck production. In recent years, the boreal forest in Western Canada, where certain duck species breed and nest, has experienced increased use of natural resources and increased recreational activity. Ducks Unlimited is undertaking a study to identify the wetlands of importance to water birds in the boreal forest and to determine methods of monitoring the impacts of increased activity on the area's bird habitats.
In Ontario, habitat ranged from good to excellent in central areas while the southern part of the province experienced a dry spring. Overall, duck production in the province was above average. Ducks Unlimited has implemented a four-year study to better understand the factors that influence duck production in Ontario. "We believe that ducks in Ontario may face different challenges than ducks in the Prairies, where most of our waterfowl research has occurred,'' said Gray.
Quebec experienced an early spring and normal water conditions, resulting in average duck production. However, populations of greater snow geese within the St. Lawrence River Valley have reached a record high. Landowners in the area are concerned about the damage these massive flocks of geese are inflicting on croplands and pastures in the spring. Ducks Unlimited is supporting a study to determine the effect of grazing geese on seeded hay and grasslands. The study has indicated that crop losses from grazing geese can be as great as 2.5 tonnes per hectare (1 ton per acre). Ducks Unlimited is working with agricultural landowners and agencies to develop management plans that prevent wildlife damage and compensate landowners for losses due to wildlife.
Ducks Unlimited biologists have also been involved in developing a population management plan for the mid-continent population of lesser snow geese. "These birds have become so abundant they are quickly degrading the habitat that supports them in their Arctic nesting ground,'' Gray said. The production of these geese was slightly higher than average this year, so the fall flight of the mid-continent snow geese may possibly be the largest ever.
The Atlantic population of Canada geese has slowly been building over the past few years, due in part to a moratorium on hunting. The fall flight of this population will be similar to last year's. Habitat conditions across the Maritimes were, in general, average. Fall waterfowl flights will be similar to those of last year.
Unlike Prairie Canada, duck production in the Dakotas was very good this year. Gray credits the high production to better wetland conditions during the spring and the delivery of a cover program by the American government. Approximately 12 million hectares (30 million acres), an amount that corresponds to one-fifth the area of Manitoba, of marginally productive agricultural lands have been seeded down to permanent grassland cover in the United States through the Conservation Reserve Program. "More nesting cover reduces a predator's ability to find nests,'' Gray said, "resulting in increased nesting success.'' In addition to providing wildlife habitat, the seeded grasslands reduce soil erosion and increase soil quality. Seeding land to grass is a component of the habitat programs offered by Ducks Unlimited Canada in the Prairies.
Ducks Unlimited Canada is a non-profit, charitable organization dedicated to the conservation of wetlands for the benefit of North America's waterfowl, other wildlife and people.
