Orange Band: Manitoba

You’re a Lesser scaup!

You were banded at Saskeram Marsh near The Pas, Manitoba two years ago. These large wetlands in the boreal forest are protected by Ducks Unlimited Canada.

Your mom laid you and nine other olive-coloured eggs in a nest hidden by thick grasses on a small island in Saskeram Marsh.

When you hatched in July your mother led you to water. That same day, you learned how to dive to find your favourite food: small bugs and other invertebrates. You practiced all summer, and could soon dive as deep as 20 metres, staying underwater for almost 30 seconds.

When it started to snow in late October, you migrated south to overwinter in the large coastal wetlands of Louisiana, U.S.A. You made a few stops along the way at Delta Marsh, Manitoba and Keokuk, Iowa.

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Fast Facts:

• nicknamed “bluebill”
• a diving duck that dives for food
• scaup chicks can dive underwater on the day they hatch
• at 5-7 weeks they can stay under for up to 25 seconds and swim underwater for 15-18 meters
• Although scaup are common, there has been a notable drop in their population in recent years. Ducks Unlimited is working with others to find out why and to see what kind of help might be needed.