04/07/2005 - Canadian
and U.S. wildlife officials are reporting
significant increases in waterfowl populations
throughout the southern Prairies this spring,
primarily due to improved wetland habitat
conditions. Results from the 2005 waterfowl
breeding population survey also indicate that
there are currently about 3.9 million ponds
in the Prairies. This is up 56% from 2004,
and 12% above the long-term survey average.
Dale Caswell, chief of waterfowl management
for Environment Canada’s Canadian Wildlife
Service in the Prairies, says, “The results
of this comprehensive survey are key to long-term
monitoring of waterfowl populations, and for
setting waterfowl harvest limits each year.
It also helps us evaluate the quality and
quantity of wetlands, vital to maintaining
healthy breeding areas for our waterfowl.”
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the
annual North American waterfowl breeding population
survey. Each spring, biologists from Environment
Canada and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
survey more than 3.5 million square km of
habitat, including the Canadian Prairies.
This is one of the largest, most comprehensive
and reliable surveys in the world and a model
of international collaboration in wildlife
research and management.
The 2005 survey also indicates:
Breeding ducks have increased by 30% from
2004, but remain 6% below the long-term average.
Pintail populations are estimated at 1.2 million,
an increase of 79% from 2004
Dabbling duck populations have increased by
more than 34% from 2004
Mallards have increased by 10% from 2004
Blue-winged teal have increased 44% from 2004
Diving ducks have increased by 38% from 2004
Canvasbacks are up by 32%, redheads by 22%
and lesser scaup by 72%
Canada geese populations are somewhat less
than 2004 at about 534,000.
Survey reports are available at: http://migratorybirds.fws.gov/reports/reports.html
