The Pintail Conservation Initiative
GOAL: Conserve and restore important breeding habitat in Alberta, Saskatchewan and the northern plains of the United States, as well as in the key migration and wintering habitats of California’s Central Valley, the Klamath Basin, the Gulf Coast and Mexico.
The pintail is among the most graceful and elegant of North America’s waterfowl. At one time, more than 10 million nesting pintails dotted the grasslands and boreal forest of Western Canada and the United States. Today, pintails number fewer than 4 million.
Through sound partnerships and leading-edge science, Ducks Unlimited is unraveling the mystery of the pintail’s decline. DU recently completed four years of research, which identified eight crucial areas for pintail populations, and proved that habitat loss and unsuccessful nesting are the most limiting factors for pintails.
The most devastating trend for pintail populations is the conversion of native prairie to croplands. During the past century, more than three-fourths of the Prairie Pothole Region’s original grasslands have been lost.
Recent research has found that in the absence of native prairie, pintails, more than any other duck, will nest in crop stubble. Pintails are early nesters, often settling down on a clutch of eggs before the harvest begins. Many pintail nests are destroyed by farm equipment before the eggs can hatch. Compounding the problem is the loss of key migration and wintering habitats in the Klamath Basin, California’s Central Valley and along the Gulf Coast.
Ducks Unlimited’s plan for the pintail is comprehensive. On the breeding grounds, we’re conserving grasslands and working with farmers to promote wildlife-friendly farming practices. DU is also conserving key migration and wintering habitats to ensure that pintails find the resources they need to survive and thrive through the winter.
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