The St. Lawrence Lowlands have been surveyed since 2004 by helicopter to estimate the abundance, distribution and trends of breeding waterfowl in the St. Lawrence Valley in Quebec. The survey consists of 144 plots (2 km by 2 km) that are systematically distributed throughout a 29 000 km2 study area. Data from this survey have been important in monitoring the American Black Duck population in agricultural landscapes (under heavy human pressures) and the progression of the now-established population of temperate breeding Canada Geese in southern Quebec.
