Canvasback
(Aythya valisineria)

Overview

Summary

© Glen Tepke (www.pbase.com/gtepke)
For additional photos and vocalizations, visit Dendroica. (Link opens in a new window.)

The Canvasback is the largest diving duck species in North America. It is also one of the least abundant species in Canada. The core breeding area of the Canvasback is in the Prairie and Parklands region of the Prairie Provinces. The national population declined during the 1980s as a result of the prolonged drought in the Prairies. Since then, the population rebounded and has now slightly surpassed the level seen in the 1970s. This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.

Designations

Population status

Population estimate

Distribution maps

• BirdLife International / NatureServe

Migration strategy, occurrence

Responsibility for conservation of world population

Conservation and management

Conservation of wetlands habitat in Prairies is an important conservation concern since much of the variation in this species abundance is due to changes in water levels, which impact the number of wetland breeding habitats. Coastal development and reduced water quality on wintering areas are believed to be factors that can reduce the size of Canvasback populations. In addition, the Canvasback is often parasitized by Redheads laying eggs in their nests. Parasitized nests are often deserted, thereby affecting Canvasback nesting success and reproduction. In Canada, Canvasbacks are mostly harvested in the Prairie Provinces; there are harvest restrictions in British Columbia and Manitoba.

Bird conservation region strategies

Environment and Climate Change Canada and partners have developed Bird Conservation Region Strategies in each of Canada’s Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs). In these strategies, selected species are identified as priorities for one or more of the following reasons:

• conservation concerns (i.e., species vulnerable due to population size, distribution, population trend, abundance, or threats)
• stewardship responsibilities (i.e., species that typify the regional avifauna or have a large proportion of their range or population in the sub-region)
• management concerns (i.e., species that require ongoing management because of their socio-economic importance as game species, or because of their impacts on other species or habitats)
• other concerns (i.e., species deemed a priority by regional experts for other reasons than those listed above or because they are listed as species at risk or concern at the provincial level)

Select any of the sub-regions below to view the BCR strategy for additional details.

References

• Canadian Wildlife Service Waterfowl Committee. 2014. Population Status of Migratory Game Birds in Canada: November 2014. CWS Migratory Birds Regulatory Report Number 44. Canadian Wildlife Service Waterfowl Committee. 2014. Population Status of Migratory Game Birds in Canada: November 2014. CWS Migratory Birds Regulatory Report Number 44. (Link)