A lot can change in the coming weeks as ducks reverse course and head back to spring nesting grounds. (Sidebar: The northern migration is my favorite time of year to observe beautifully plumed waterfowl passing through my area.) However, at this stage in the game, Ducks Unlimited Canada says conditions look favorable for a strong breeding season.
Image courtesy Ducks Unlimited Canada
The key habitat variable outside our control is sufficient water, which provides ample territory for hens, helps ducklings find food and avoid predation and so much more. It appears that this is yet another consecutive spring in which arriving ducks will find plenty of it.
"Spring conditions should be good to very good in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and a recent return to below-average temperatures in Alberta should offset the lack of frost seal and improve spring runoff prospects," DU Canada says. "Fall and winter conditions have generally been good in the Eastern Region."
Overall, current conditions are considered good, very good, or excellent for practically all of Canada. This is, of course, good news for duck hunters. For regional maps and further analysis, check out the full report.
