The Gadwall is a common duck species in Canada, with its core breeding area located in the Prairies. Following a prolonged drought in the 1980s, the species’ population has shown a dramatic increase in most of its range and has doubled in size since the 1990s, mainly because of improved wetland conditions in the Prairies. This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.
Gadwall numbers have increased considerably since the 1990s, with a doubling of the population in the last decade or so. No other dabbling duck species has shown a comparable population increase to that of the Gadwall, especially in the Prairie Pothole Region (Leschack et al. 1997). The increases in breeding numbers are linked to better wetland conditions in the Prairie Pothole Region and to enhancement of habitat management actions (Baldassarre 2014).
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.