The Canvasback's core breeding area in Canada is in the Prairie provinces, but the species is found as far south as the U.S. Prairies and as far north as the Northwest Territories. Canvasbacks are not abundant in Canada, but the population has increased since the beginning of the 1990s. Much of the inter-annual population fluctuations can be explained by annual changes in water levels, which impact the amount of wetland breeding habitat in the Prairies. Since 2001, the majority of Canvasbacks in Canada have been harvested in the Prairie provinces, but harvest in Ontario has historically represented about half of the Canadian harvest for this species. This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.
Conservation of wetlands habitat in the 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, which lay 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.
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:
Select any of the sub-regions below to view the BCR strategy for additional details.
