You can use it for research or reference. To access the current information, please visit NatureCounts - The State of Canada’s Birds (external link).
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) supports a variety of surveys to monitor migratory birds in their breeding, wintering, staging and moulting areas. The monitoring programs include surveys of breeding waterfowl to estimate population size and productivity, banding programs to estimate survival, harvest rates, population size, and to assess movements and distribution of harvest. Harvest surveys are used to estimate the size of the harvest and assess the impacts of hunting regulations on populations. The data obtained from these monitoring programs are used in this report to assess the status of migratory birds in Canada, thus providing the scientific basis for the management of waterfowl and the implementation of sustainable hunting regulations. This information ensures that hunting does not jeopardize the sustainability of the waterfowl populations that are harvested.
To determine population status, the available results of all monitoring programs for each species were examined and the most reliable source(s) for assessing the long-term, national status was used. Results from the Waterfowl Breeding Population Habitat Survey (WBPHS) and the Eastern Waterfowl Breeding Ground Survey (EWS) were used preferentially for waterfowl species.
For some species, smaller-scale regional surveys were used in conjunction or instead of the WBPHS or the EWS, to ensure the most accurate data was presented. Some of these surveys include the; Waterfowl Breeding Population Survey of the Central Interior Plateau of British Columbia, Southern Ontario Waterfowl Plot Survey, and the St. Lawrence Lowlands Breeding Waterfowl Survey.
Additional species specific surveys are used for select seaducks, geese, and other migratory game birds when the other large scale and regional surveys do not provide adequate information.
Marking programs, which typically use leg-bands, neck collars or transmitters (radio or satellite), are also part of the waterfowl monitoring program.
Band recovery data provide consistent information to assess survival and harvest rates, temporal and geographic distribution of the harvest, and in some cases population size.
The Canadian Duck Banding Program began over 100 years ago. As part of this program, ducks are caught on their breeding grounds at the end of the breeding season but before the hunting season begins, either when they swim into baited traps or by an airboat. CWS staff carefully extracts ducks from the traps, band each duck on one leg, collect information about age, sex, and species, and then quickly release the birds. This program targets adult and juvenile ducks of multiple species.
Arctic goose banding programs have been conducted in Canada since the 1930s. Geese are banded in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec. Snow Geese, Ross’s Geese, Cackling Geese, Greater White-fronted Geese and Brant are banded on their northern breeding grounds. Canada Geese are banded on their subarctic and temperate breeding grounds. The birds are banded after they have been carefully herded into an enclosure during the post-breeding season, when the adults are moulting their flight feathers and before the young can fly. CWS staff applies individually numbered metal bands, which can be used to track individual birds, to the legs of the captured birds.
If a person encounters a banded bird, or if a hunter shoots a banded bird, they are encouraged to report it to Environment and Climate Change Canada Bird Banding Office, via telephone at 1-800-327-BAND (2263) or online at www.reportband.gov. Biologists use the information from banded birds to assess survival rate, harvest rate and distribution. The data also feed into harvest management decisions. For example, the CWS estimate geese populations’ size mainly by using bands recovery data via the Lincoln method.
Wetlands in the Canadian and U.S. prairies are sensitive to weather variability (Larson 1995; Roy 2015) and the region is characterized by a very distinct wet-drought cycle (Johnson et al. 2005). Nesting effort, nest success, and duckling survival in the prairies have all been linked to the wetlands conditions (Greenwood et al. 1995; Howerter et al. 2014) and the abundance of waterfowl populations is strongly linked to the abundance of wetlands in the spring during the previous year (Johnson and Grier 1988; Viljugrein et al. 2005). Since 1961, spring habitat conditions have been assessed based on an estimate of the number of ponds in May. In 2017, the total pond estimate (Prairie Canada and U.S. combined) was of 6.1 million ponds. This was 19% below the 2014 estimate of 7.5 million ponds, but 17% above the long-term average of 5.2 million ponds (USFWS 2017). The 2017 estimate in the Canadian Prairies was of 4.3 million ponds, a 23% increase from 2016 (3.5 million). The number of ponds in the Canadian Prairie Pothole Region increased significantly between 1961 and 2017.
Breeding conditions varied within the Western Boreal Forest, with conditions somewhat drier than average, but were good overall in this portion of the traditional survey area. The boreal region and Alaska experienced drier than average conditions. An early spring and the absence of flooding in most areas likely contributed to good production for waterfowl species.
In the North Slave region of the Northwest Territories, snowfall amount was equal to the long-term average (2016-17: 62.6 inches; LTA: 62.1). However, this amount of snowfall the highest on record since 2008-2009. April was colder than average, leading to a protracted spring thaw. By May 15, most medium to large water bodies were still covered with ice. Water levels were slightly above 2016 levels.
Slightly below average temperatures were observed in the B.C. Interior during the 2016-2017 winter. Precipitations were lower than average from December 2016 to February 2017 and higher than average from February to May 2017 (BC Water Supply and Snow Survey Reports, http://bcrfc.env.gov.bc.ca/). April was cool and wet, which led to increases in snowpacks and to a delayed snowmelt. Snow and ice were common at mid and low elevations in early May and this resulted in less wetland habitat available to waterfowl than in previous years. Wetland water levels were generally average to good in the Southern Interior and good in the Northern Interior. In general, the May 2017 habitat conditions were fair to good in the prime waterfowl areas of the southern part of the B.C. Interior and good in the northern portion of the B.C. Interior (A. Breault, CWS – Pacific Region, pers. comm. 2017).
Habitat conditions in spring and summer of 2017 varied considerably between regions of the Canadian Arctic. The timing of the ice and snow melt was early in the low arctic where most geese nest, and juvenile to adult ratios at banding suggested good production in all areas observed. Age ratios in flocks of lesser snow geese, Ross’s geese, and white-fronted geese observed during fall migration in Saskatchewan were among the highest recorded in the last decade, confirming observations from nesting areas (R. Alisauskas, ECCC - S&T, pers. comm. 2017). On Bylot Island, the main Greater Snow Goose colony had a thick snowpack at the end of the winter and snowmelt was delayed due to cool and overcast weather in June. The percentage of young in the greater snow geese fall flight was slightly below average which suggests weather had been better in other parts of the breeding range (J. Lefebvre, CWS – Québec Region, pers. comm.). At Southern Hudson Bay and southwestern James Bay, spring phenology was about 6 days later than average due to winter 2016-17 snowpack depths that ranged from average to well above average throughout the region, spring blizzards and a prolonged period of below freezing spring temperatures; June was relatively dry with below average precipitation and cooler than average temperatures throughout the region (Brook and Badzinski 2017).
In southern and central Ontario, spring was generally about average. Mild spring temperatures began in mid to late February and continued off and on into March. Water levels were also higher than normal throughout the survey area with all areas in southern and central Ontario experiencing flooding in late April to early May after heavy rainfalls. This resulted in nest flooding for many Canada geese. For ducks, however, breeding habitat conditions were generally excellent in southern and central Ontario. Northeastern Ontario was less affected by heavy spring rainfall but breeding habitat conditions were generally above average except in areas with high beaver activity where conditions were excellent.
April 2017 was very rainy in the region of Quebec, with record high precipitations in the southwestern part, and flooding occurring along the St. Lawrence River and its major tributaries. As a result, survey of the St. Lawrence Lowlands was delayed and conducted only in early May (rather than late April); still, many agricultural fields were flooded at the time of survey, which made it difficult to assess the breeding status (local breeders or migrants) of waterfowl pairs seen. In this landscape, high risk of nest flooding for early ground-nesting species such as the American Black Duck, the Mallard and the Canada Goose was expected. The boreal forest was less affected by these abnormally wet conditions. However, because May experienced colder temperatures than usual, the higher altitude eastern half of the surveyed area in the province consequently had a larger proportion of ponds and lakes partially ice covered; nevertheless, breeding pairs were seen taking advantage of available open water even in these areas.
In the Maritimes this year, ice out appeared to be somewhat delayed again in most areas of the survey. The ice cover was still significant and extensive in most areas at the time the survey began (early May), and the survey crew noted that ice conditions were the most extensive observed in the last 10 years or so of the survey. The ice cover remained extensive in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park and on large lakes in the northern portion of the province, but birds were seen taking advantage of available open water even in these areas. In the northern part of insular Newfoundland and most of Labrador, a large proportion of the ponds and lakes were partially ice covered and most of the forested areas had deep snow cover, delaying the start of the WBPHS in this region for a week compared to previous years.
Flooding appeared to be minimal in New Brunswick, but localized areas of south-central Nova Scotia remained flooded at the time of the survey, which may have contributed to nest loss for early ground-nesting species such as the American Black Duck.
Information on the sale of Migratory Game Bird Hunting (MGBH) permits is available since 1966. Annual sales peaked in 1978 (524 946 permits sold) and subsequently declined almost every year until 2005, when sales were down to 165 678 permits, the lowest number ever recorded. For several years, the number of permits sold annually remained at around 170 000. Sales, however, increased slightly in recent years, with a total of 181 908 permits sold in 2016.
In August 2014, Environment and Climate Change Canada launched a new online e-Permitting ordering system to improve hunters’ access to MGBH permits. Originally, this system allowed hunters to purchase a permit online, and the permit (along with the Canadian Wildlife Habitat Conservation [CWHC] stamp) would then be mailed to the hunter within 3 to 5 business days. As of August 2015, hunters can purchase their MGBH stamp and CWHC stamp online, receive electronic copies of the stamp and permit by email and print these documents. The e-Permitting system is accessible to hunters 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In 2016, 28 314 hunters purchased their permit online, an 81% increase compared to the 15 635 e-Permits sold in 2015.
The MGBH e-Permitting purchasing system makes it easier for hunters to respond to the questions on the permit application, which helps to inform the National Harvest Survey. Data from this and other CWS surveys are used to assess the status of migratory game bird populations in Canada, their productivity, survival rates and amount of harvest they can sustain. This information also provides data to inform hunting regulations and harvest management plans for future years.
Various reasons have been put forth to explain the decline in the number of hunters in Canada, including limited access to hunting areas, increasing hunting-related expenses, gun control measures, increasing urbanization, and general societal changes. Environment and Climate Change Canada is supportive of migratory bird hunting and fully recognizes the value of hunters and anglers to conservation. Environment and Climate Change Canada has implemented a number of measures to recognize this contribution of hunters and Canadians more generally, including through the establishment of Waterfowler Heritage Days, a country-wide event aimed at promoting the mentoring of young hunters in a safe environment.
For more information on MGBP permit sales in Canada, please visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/migratory-game-bird-hunting/permit.html.
The Snow Goose and Ross’s Goose populations are well above their population objectives (NAWMP 2012). Such a situation becomes an important conservation issue when the rapid growth and increasing abundance affects the habitats on which they, and other species, depend. This issue was first highlighted 20 years ago, through comprehensive assessments of the environmental effects of the rapidly growing populations of Mid-continent Lesser Snow Geese (Chen caerulescens caerulescens) and Greater Snow Geese (Chen caerulescens atlantica). The analyses, completed by Canadian and American experts, are contained in the reports Arctic Ecosystems in Peril—Report of the Arctic Goose Habitat Working Group (Batt 1997) and The Greater Snow Goose—Report of the Arctic Goose Habitat Working Group (Batt 1998).
These working groups concluded that the increase in Snow Goose populations was primarily human-induced. Changing farming practices supplied a reliable, highly nutritious food source for migrating and wintering geese. Combined with the safety found in refuges, this improved nutritional status led to increased survival and reproductive rates for Snow Geese. These populations have become so large that in staging areas and on breeding grounds, they are affecting the plant communities on which they and other species rely. Grubbing by geese not only permanently removes vegetation, but it can also change soil salinity, nitrogen dynamics and moisture levels. The result is the alteration or even elimination of plant communities. Although the Arctic is vast, the areas that support migrating and breeding geese and other companion species are limited in extent, and some areas are likely to become inhospitable for decade-long periods. Increasing crop damage is another undesirable consequence of the growing goose populations.
Initial management efforts focused on the Mid-continent Lesser Snow Geese and Greater Snow Geese populations where there was strong evidence of detrimental effects on some habitats. Canada, the U.S. and Mexico agreed that the habitat changes being caused were of significant conservation concern, and that the populations were overabundant. More recent efforts have targeted Western Arctic Lesser Snow Geese and Ross’ Geese. As a result, several concurrent management measures to curtail the rapid population growth and reduce population size to a level consistent with the carrying capacity of the habitat were initiated. Population models showed that, of all the potential management techniques available, the most successful approach to controlling population growth involved reducing survival rates for adult geese.
Therefore, beginning in 1999, Canada amended its Migratory Birds Regulations and created new tools that could be used to help manage overabundant species. These included special conditions that encourage hunters to increase their harvest during the regular hunting season as well as during the spring conservation harvest season and, in some cases and subject to specific controls, that allowed hunters to use exceptional methods and equipment, such as electronic calls and bait. The special conservation measures for Snow Geese were implemented in 1999 in Quebec and Manitoba, and were expanded in 2001 to Saskatchewan and Nunavut, in 2012 to southeastern Ontario, in 2015 to the Northwest Territories and Alberta and in 2016 to the Yukon. The dates and locations of application of these special conservation measures were determined in consultation with the provincial governments, other organizations and local communities.
The evaluation report shows that the special conservation measures have had mixed success. In the case of Greater Snow Geese, the measures were successful in reducing the annual survival rate of adults from 83% to about 72.5% (Calvert and Gauthier 2005). Adult survival rate is the parameter to which population growth is the most sensitive. The combined implementation of special conservation measures in Canada, including the spring conservation harvest, the liberalization of hunting regulations, and the Conservation Order in the U.S. appears to be working efficiently to control population levels, as the species experienced a declining population trend between 2012 and 2017(Lefebvre et al. 2017).
For Mid-continent Lesser Snow Geese, the evaluation concluded that the population had continued to grow through 2009, although perhaps at a reduced rate (Alisauskas et al. 2011; Leafloor, Moser and Batt 2012). It also concluded that, although the annual harvest increased as a result of the conservation measures, it failed to reduce the population size, which was actually much larger than previously thought. While it is clear that measures implemented to date were not successful in reducing the Mid-continent population, the population also appears to have levelled off in recent years, probably due to declining recruitment (Alisauskas et al. 2017). This may be a result of density-dependent reductions in forage availability on northern staging areas, coupled with negative effects of climate change on gosling growth and survival in the Arctic (Ross et al. 2017).
Environment and Climate Change Canada is responsible for the management of sustainable hunting of migratory game birds in Canada. The migratory bird hunting regulations are developed under the Migratory Birds Regulations, which implement the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994, and in accordance with the Objectives and Guidelines for the Establishment of National Regulations for Migratory Game Bird Hunting.
In order to facilitate transparency in decision-making, and provide an opportunity for all interested parties to participate in the development of the migratory bird hunting regulations, Environment and Climate Change Canada has developed a national process to consult on the proposed regulations which has been in place since 1988. Items that are submitted for consultation will be posted on the web:
https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/migratory-game-bird-hunting.html
