Related Links

• Did you know the wetlands ducks call home are disappearing? Learn how you can help conserve wetlands for waterfowl, other wildlife and people to enjoy!
• How do wetlands work?
• More ducks and other wetland wildlife!
• Top 10 Wetland Facts
• Migration Maps

 

You're an American wigeon!

You were banded as a two year old bird in a large wetland near Williams Lake, British Columbia during your fall migration.

In your first year of life your parents had flown to the Yukon for nesting. After mating, your mom laid you and eight other eggs in a shallow, feather-filled nest , well-hidden by grasses. After you hatched, and when you were only a day old, you followed your mom on a short walk to the nearest wetland, where there were plenty of green plants to eat.

In the fall you flew from the Yukon to spend winter off the coast of southern British Columbia. Here you joined other wigeons to feed in grassy areas, in farm fields or in tidal ocean mudflats where you could feed on tasty plants like eelgrass and sea lettuce.

Download certificate!

Download a customized certificate (PDF, 1.3 MB) with your name to show your friends and family!

Banding or marking ducks helps scientists learn more about them and what they need to survive. Protec ting wetlands is one way to help ducks.

Fast Facts:

• eats more plants than any other duck, thanks to a special bill
• males don’t quack but give a high pitched three noted whistle
• dabbling duck (eats at water surface or by “tipping up”)
• Wigeon numbers have been declining in recent years. Ducks Unlimited scientists and others are working hard to find ways to reverse this.