You’re a Canvasback!
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You were banded by Ducks Unlimited Canada scientists one August at Delta Marsh, near Portage La Prairie, Manitoba.
Earlier in the spring, your mom laid you and seven other eggs in a floating nest made of cattail on a small, deep wetland. A redhead duck snuck in and also laid an egg in your nest. Your mom worked hard to care for this extra duckling.
You soon learned how to dive deep into the water and use your strong bill to dig out tasty plant roots from the bottom. You also learned that cattail plants could hide you from the wind and predators like foxes.
When the weather turned cold on the Prairies, you flew to Long Point on Lake Erie where you were captured by researchers, who recorded your band number and other information. You then migrated south to winter Maryland, U.S.A. You’ll return to the same spot in Canada next year to start your own family.
Download your certificate here to share with your friends and family.
Fast Facts:
- lays large olive coloured eggs in early spring
- a large diving duck that is a strong swimmer but clumsy when walking on land
- nicknamed “king of ducks” because of their royal-looking red head and long black bill
- Canvasback numbers vary greatly depending on weather conditions and other factors. In the 1980s people were worried about this duck’s survival but, by the 1990s the numbers were back to normal.