Surveying waterfowl

An eco-section is the most detailed level of classification within British Columbia’s eco-region classification system used to stratify the province into discrete geographical units.

 

Waterfowl & Wetland Surveys

DUC biologists actively collect information relating to waterfowl and waterbird populations. In the intermountain, DUC partners with the Canadian Wildlife Service and the US Fish and Wildlife Service in two waterfowl survey programs; Eco-section Surveys and Cooperative Wetland Surveys.

In the BC Peace, two more survey programs are conducted: the BC Peace Parkland Waterfowl Survey and the Parkland-Boreal Transition Survey.

Eco-section Surveys

Each year, beginning in mid-May, DUC conducts aerial surveys of selected eco-sections in British Columbia. Eco-sections describe areas of similar climate, physiography, oceanography, hydrology, vegetation and wildlife potential.

The DUC team uses a helicopter to fly ‘transects’ – a series of parallel straight lines – across an eco-section, counting all observed waterfowl and collecting data about encountered wetlands. Transects are not meant to provide an exact count of all birds in the eco-section; rather, they serve as a ‘sample’ which can be used to estimate the sizes of breeding populations in the area. These surveys have been conducted for the last 5 years and 12 eco-sections have been covered so far.

Cooperative Wetland Surveys

Since 1987, cooperative ground surveys have collected waterfowl data from over 600 wetlands throughout the Interior. DUC’s main survey areas are located in the Columbia Valley, Kamloops, and the Cariboo-Chilcotin region. Beginning in the last week of April, observers count and categorize waterfowl on each of the survey wetlands during six visits, spaced four days apart. Observers walk around the edge of the survey wetlands and use a spotting scope to identify birds. The information collected allows DUC to monitor breeding waterfowl populations, measure wetland health, and appraise habitat changes over time.

BC Peace Parkland Waterfowl Survey Program

Since 2000, DUC has carried out ground-based counts of breeding waterfowl in the BC Peace Country, running annually from late April to early August. Data is collected on 30-50 wetlands in the agricultural zone and is used to calculate density estimates for duck breeding pairs and broods. These density values form the basis for estimates of waterfowl populations throughout the BC Peace region, and for assessments of the effects of management activities.

Peace Parkland-Boreal Transition Surveys

Since 2003, DUC has conducted surveys in the ‘parkland-boreal transition’ areas of northwestern Alberta and northeastern British Columbia. In these areas, DUC has noted significant impacts to native habitat as agricultural and industrial development impact landscapes formerly dominated by large tracts of forested crown land. Several times during the year, from May until October, a team uses a helicopter to survey priority wetlands known to be the best for ducks and waterfowl. This approach of re-flying targeted water bodies at different times in the birds’ breeding cycle allows DUC to learn more about all the ways in which birds use wetlands, including for breeding, moulting, staging and migration.

 
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