Spring Habitat Conditions 2000

By DU Field Biologists
Following a mild, dry winter, wetland habitats have deteriorated across much of the breeding grounds

1. Atlantic Canada Winter was mild in Atlantic Canada, with below normal snowfall in southern areas and average amounts recorded elsewhere. Overall, spring breeding habitat conditions are very good across the region, and mallard and black duck pairs are visible on small wetlands.

2. Quebec An early runoff produced wetland conditions ranging from fair in the south to good in the north. Spring migration is ahead of schedule, and large numbers of waterfowl have already returned to breed.

3. Ontario Across southern Ontario, above average temperatures during February and March resulted in an early thaw of a less than average snow pack, creating fair to poor habitat conditions. In the north, runoff from above average snow accumulations has produced good habitat conditions.

4. Manitoba Following a mild and dry winter, habitat conditions across the prairies are generally fair to poor, with the exception of a small pocket in the extreme southwest where wetlands remain at good levels. To the north, in the parklands and boreal forest, waterfowl habitat is rated good, thanks to normal precipitation.

5. Saskatchewan With little runoff to recharge wetland basins, water levels are down across the prairies and parklands of this vast province. Habitat conditions range from good in the extreme southeast to poor in the southwest. Wetlands are in better shape to the north in the boreal forest region, where many waterfowl are expected to settle this year.

6. Alberta Across southern and central Alberta, below normal precipitation has left breeding habitat in fair to poor condition, with the exception of irrigated DU projects that remain at full capacity. Good habitat conditions also exist on the northern fringes of the parklands and in the boreal forest.

7. British Columbia Although less than normal precipitation fell during the winter, wetlands in the province have fared better than those on the prairies. Habitat conditions are rated from fair to good in the interior and excellent along the coast.

8. North Central U.S. After six years of unusually wet weather across the Great Plains states, habitat conditions have deteriorated across the region following an unusually mild and dry winter. Although March rains did improve habitat conditions in parts of the Dakotas and along the Hi-Line of Montana, more spring rain is sorely needed to replenish shallow wetlands and attract breeding pairs to landscapes with good upland cover provided by the Conservation Reserve Program. Dry spring weather also has prevailed in the Great Lakes states, where wetland habitats are rated fair.

9. Western U.S. Spring weather has created good to very good habitat conditions across much of the western U.S. and Alaska. Heavy rains in the Central Valley of California have produced good to excellent habitat conditions for breeding waterfowl.