That is why Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) is genuinely pleased when reports circulate about high duck numbers this year on the United States side of the Prairie Pothole Region.For as we all are aware, waterfowl are a continental resource that knows no borders. A hen duck that found appropriate nesting habitat and brood rearing conditions in North Dakota this year may very well fly past the same region next year to settle farther north should she find habitat conditions unsuitable. Ducks generally follow precipitation which is critical to fill wetlands on the breeding grounds. Given the geographic variation in the wet-dry cycle on the prairies, the wettest habitat could be anywhere from Grande Prairie, Alberta, to Sioux Falls, S.D.

The key in both countries is having critical nesting habitat, such as grasslands on the prairies, in place so that when rain and snow fill the wetlands, the birds can be successful. Indeed with the pace of development, market fluctuations for crops, and advancements in agricultural technology keeping habitat on the land is a monumental challenge for DUC and its American sister organization, DU Inc.

"Breeding habitat is vital to the sustainability of North America's ducks," said Mike Anderson, DUC's director of science and adaptation. "There are good reasons that DU has identified the Prairie Pothole Region of both Canada and the United States and Canada's Western Boreal Forest as our top priority areas on the continent. These are the areas where the continent's ducks need suitable habitat and good nesting conditions the most. DU will not achieve our conservation vision of abundant waterfowl unless we are successful in these critical places."

Historically, prairie Canada has attracted the majority of prairie nesting ducks. This year, according to the annual spring survey conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Canadian Wildlife Service, more ducks settled on the US prairies than Canada's prairies. This occurred for a number of reasons including good precipitation resulting in favourable duck habitat, the U.S. government's conservationminded policies and programs such as the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and efforts by DUI, the USFWS and others to save the grasslands of the Prairie Pothole Region. Similar types of forward-thinking policies are needed in Canada. Research has shown that nesting success for ducks in the mixed and short-grass prairies has consistently been high enough to support growing populations; when conditions are right, southern Canada—like the U.S. prairies—remains capable of producing bumper crops of ducks. Ensuring that this productive capacity is maintained is a top priority.

And while the U.S. side of the border settled great duck numbers this year, the sheer volume of ducks that head north each year means that Canada's duck habitats need attention in the form of policy support from governments and the continued financial support of waterfowlers and conservation organizations alike.

"These swings in ducks settling between the countries are transient and depend on wetland and upland conditions," Anderson says. "Two-thirds of the Prairie Pothole Region lies in Canada and on average 71 per cent of prairie ducks settled there from 1955-2007. While this year the U.S. Prairie Pothole Region has been very productive, there is simply not enough habitat in the United States to support all the ducks even if conditions there remain good."

Added in the mix, says Anderson, is the fear among experts that new pressures on CRP and the loss of wetland protection under the Clean Water Act in the United States may alter the picture there, clearly reinforcing the need for DUC to advocate the conservation of Canada's critical duck areas.

"There are excellent conservation opportunities throughout the breeding grounds of the U.S. and Canada and we should strive to seize them all through our resources, partnerships and political will," says Anderson. "Our greatest task is to sustain the productive capacity of these vital lands in both our countries. We need to enlist as many duck-minded supporters as we can in both Canada and the United States to generate financial and political support for our conservation work while engaging the Canadian public based on the additional values of improved water quality, flood control and carbon storage that are obtained from waterfowl habitat conservation."

The undeniable bottom line is the majority of North American breeding ducks have always relied upon Canada's duck habitats. That will never change. The need to conserve these Canadian areas is more urgent than ever. Visit www.wetlandsfortomorrow.com and donate to Ducks Unlimited Canada today to help ensure North America's skies are forever filled with waterfowl.

Duncan Morrison
National Marketing and Communications
Ducks Unlimited Canada
1.800.665.3825
d_morrison@ducks.ca