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- 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 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.
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:
- nicknamed “bluebill”
- diving duck (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.
