Approach

Science

Connecting people and resources to identify and solve conservation challenges.

Real research for real life

Ducks Unlimited Canada embraces a scientific approach to conserving wetlands and associated uplands that support North America’s waterfowl populations.

Our decades of research and innovation have helped uncover unique relationships among wetlands, waterfowl, watersheds, biodiversity, species at risk, and more. Today, we also focus on how those habitats can affect other wildlife and directly improve human lives, too.

Across Canada, Ducks Unlimited Canada experts are using their knowledge and skills to ask and answer big environmental questions that affect all of us.

Research team conducting electrofishing at Delta Marsh.

Meet the team behind our science

No matter what they do or where they do it, our flock takes to conservation like ducks to water.

Members of our core research team are experts in wetland and waterfowl biology and ecology, wetland and spatial ecology, avian demography, statistics, GIS technology, ecosystem services, carbon cycling, knowledge transfer, boreal ecology and more.

Tackling the questions that matter to all of us.

Our achievements in conservation science are many, but we don’t keep it to ourselves. With 800+ scientific publications under our wings, we regularly publish study results, reports, presentations and more to share our knowledge with research partners, scientists interested in our work, government decision-makers, and our supporters. We continue to lead innovative research that is setting the stage for decades of conservation work across Canada.

Environmental Solutions: Kaska Land Guardian Daniel Koehl and Ducks Unlimited Canada's James Varghese record wetland information during a helicopter survey.

Nurturing the next generation

Educational

Our award-winning education programs and partnerships engage youth and empower them to make a difference.

Wetland Centres of Excellence

Wetland Centres of Excellence engage and empower young people in meaningful nature-based experiences.

University of Saskatchewan – Ducks Unlimited Canada Endowed Chair

The Endowed Chair in Wetland and Waterfowl Conservation will provide generations of students with opportunities to pursue their passions in conservation while delivering research that addresses some of the most pressing environmental issues of our time.

You can help support our science

Unleash your inner biologist through Community Science! Record your bird sightings every spring and fall using the DUC Migration Tracker project hosted on iNaturalist. It’s a great way to experience and enjoy the season, while contributing valuable data that will inform future conservation efforts. 

Learn more

Our research, right now

Our researchers are making a positive difference in a pivotal era for conservation and biodiversity in Canada.

Science is more than a tool—it’s our compass. Whether it’s pinpointing priority wetlands, testing new conservation practices, or measuring the success of our efforts, science keeps us focused, accountable, effective ane efficient. And in a world where wetlands are disappearing, climate is shifting, and land is constantly in demand, that efficiency matters more than ever.

We don’t just work hard—we work smart.

Read the stories to find out where we’re putting our research to work in real life for species and places of special concern, landowners, communities, public policymakers, other scientists and more.

Biodiversity, pollinators and conservation

How protecting natural habitats can save our pollinators and boost biodiversity.

Research to resilience: How data can transform our landscapes for the better

Research in the Fraser River Estuary results in real-world on-the-ground conservation.

The power of small wetlands for clean water

New DUC research quantifies the role of restored wetlands in capturing phosphorus in agricultural watersheds.

New sea duck atlas sheds light on poorly understood species and how we can protect them

Canadian landscapes identified among 85 North American sites that provide critical habitat for sea ducks.

Where have all the eiders gone?

This video series documents 2023 field season research in detail, including how researchers capture nesting eider hens, record their body condition, band them and implant the radio telemetry technology used to transmit their location from radio to satellite and track their movements. View more videos on our YouTube playlist.