Home
Ducks and Geese Will Find Variable Habitat Conditions This Spring 
Southern Prairies Still Dry
May 10, 2004, Ducks Unlimited Canada National Office, Oak Hammock Marsh, Manitoba — From a bird’s eye view, parts of Canada are looking pretty good for water conditions this spring. A notable exception, according to Ducks Unlimited Canada, is the southern Prairies, a prime duck producing area where dry soils have soaked up spring run-off leaving few ponds for the birds.
“Waterfowl populations and water levels are clearly linked. Generally, the more wetlands we have, the better off the birds are,” said DUC’s chief biologist, Henry Murkin. “Each wetland type has a specific use by ducks. Spring ponds provide hens with food they need to produce eggs. More permanent wetlands, that hold water into the summer, provide essential habitat for ducklings. We like to see a good mix of wetland types on the land from spring to fall to support ducks through hatch to migration.”
Waterfowl habitat is classified as poor to fair over much of southern Alberta and into the aspen parkland. The southwest and southeast parts of the province received welcome runoff from late winter snows and habitats there are in good condition. Moving north, the Peace parklands are in fair to good condition as waterfowl return to the region. Habitat is fair to good throughout most of Saskatchewan . In western Saskatchewan, prairie habitats range from poor to fair. Good habitat exists along the Canadian-U.S. border in the southern Missouri Coteau, a waterfowl breeding hot spot. Moving northwest along the coteau, habitat conditions degrade to fair due to low run-off. Much of the run-off from the late winter snows and heavy rains in southern Manitoba have soaked directly into the dry soils providing only fair habitat conditions. Precipitation will be needed throughout southern Manitoba to provide ponds for young birds in July and August. Elsewhere in the province, good conditions prevail.
Very good to excellent spring habitat exists along the British Columbia coast and in the Fraser Delta region. Habitats in the interior are in generally fair condition. Fair to good habitat exists in northern portions of the Peace River Valley and in a small area of central B.C. around Williams Lake. In the rest of the province, habitat conditions are dry, the result of nearly three years of drought.
In extreme southern Ontario ,habitat conditions are fair. Drier conditions during mid to late winter produced less runoff than expected and few spring ponds have water. In the Niagara region and the remainder of southern Ontario, conditions are good to very good. In northwestern Ontario, large lakes remain frozen and waterfowl are just beginning to occupy open wetlands and streams.
Farther east, spring habitats in Quebec and Atlantic Canada range from good to very good. Nearly all wetlands in Atlantic Canada are at full supply.
Since 1938, Ducks Unlimited Canada has been conserving, restoring and managing wetlands and associated habitats for North America’s waterfowl. These habitats also benefit other wildlife and people.
For more information:
Lauralou Cicierski, l_cicierski@ducks.ca
National Media and Public Relations Coordinator
Ducks Unlimited Canada
Tel: (204) 467-3252
