| | The Parkland Region in Central Alberta contains an abundance of ponds, streams and lakes, providing excellent habitat for most species of waterfowl. As the majority of ducks nest in vegetation located close to or over water, nesting sites are relatively abundant.
However, cavity-nesting waterfowl species such as the Common Goldeneye and Bufflehead face a critical nesting shortage. These species normally would nest in naturally occurring cavities created by woodpeckers or decay in mature woodlands. Logging practices, farming and even the cutting of dead trees for firewood has removed much of the mature woodland required for the cavity-nesting species.
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For a number of years, the Alberta Conservation Association (ACA) has worked to reverse this trend through its Duck Nest Box Program. Under this program, ACA constructs and places plywood nest boxes on trees situated near wetlands in Central Alberta. Partners in this project include Ducks Unlimited Canada, Fish and Wildlife, Windsor Plywood and participating land managers. |
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“The main target species are the cavity-nesting ducks, primarily the Common Goldeneye and the Bufflehead,” explains ACA’s Rob Corrigan, who’s writing his Master’s thesis about the duck box program. “These ducks typically winter in the U.S. Gulf states, although in mid-February, some were wintering in Calgary. They return to the Parkland region in April to nest and raise their young. The ducklings typically hatch in June, exiting the nest cavity within 48 hours.”
If the ducks can’t find suitable nesting habitat in the Parkland, they must look elsewhere, and may have to compete for nesting sites that are already at maximum carrying capacity. By providing viable nesting sites, ACA is increasing the odds that duck populations can expand throughout Central Alberta.
Cost-Effective Conservation
ACA’s Jim Potter, the founder and manager of the Duck Nest Box Program, designed the nest boxes to be simple, durable and cheap.
“It’s a basic plywood box, held together by screws, with an opening so the ducks can come and go,” he says. “It costs about $12 to make a box, and ones we installed 15 years ago still look just about as good as new.”
During the 16 years of the program, Potter has installed approximately 1,200 boxes. The box is nailed to a mature tree approximately 8 ft. to 10 ft. off the ground, preferably facing the water so it’s visible to waterfowl.
Potter monitors about 250 boxes annually, noting use and doing general maintenance. Every nest box is numbered and geo-referenced for future reference.
By Corrigan’s calculation, approximately 95% of all nest boxes are used by waterfowl. Of these, about 80% are successful in hatching a brood of ducklings.
“The boxes have proven to benefit other species as well,” says Corrigan. “Saw-whet Owls and Kestrels as well as smaller cavity nesters use many boxes. Flying and red squirrels often winter in the boxes and will also use them for food storage.”
Results are Encouraging
To assess the impact of the nest boxes on the Goldeneye and Bufflehead, Corrigan has compared pre-1989 population levels to duck numbers recorded in subsequent years.
“Depending on the area, the populations of Goldeneye and Bufflehead have multiplied by four or five times,” says Corrigan. “Including the beneficial impact on other species, the duck boxes are making a big impact.”
The Duck Nest Box Program includes an educational outreach program to participating landowners, various groups and interested individuals. ACA encourages landowners to safeguard trees close to wetlands, thus improving water quality as well as enhancing nesting opportunity for cavity nesters. Once landowners understand the importance of this step, most are more than happy to cooperate.
After giving the program 16 good years, Jim Potter feels proud to have made a difference. Still, as successful as the Duck Nest Box Program has been, he’d like Alberta to do more.
“The boxes are a substitute for a natural nesting habitat, not the real thing,” he says. “If we had enough old trees, we wouldn’t need the boxes. Forty years from now, the boxes might be gone. But if we can succeed in preserving and encouraging natural habitat, the ducks will always come back to the Parkland, forever.”
For more incomprehensive coverage of ACA activities, visit the ACA website at www.ab-conservation.com. |
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