British Columbia Habitat Conditions
Habitat conditions are assessed regularly by DUC and are presented in our Habitat Reports. The following is a compilation of impressions, collected from DUC field staff, of environmental conditions relative to breeding waterfowl. These observations are not based on systematic surveys, and are not intended to describe hunting conditions. Our most recent Habitat Report was prepared November 2010, and had the following to say about habitat conditions in British Columbia:
Most migrant waterfowl have arrived along the coast, where the fall flight appeared to be average. Although conditions have recently become dry, they were relatively wet in early fall, which made it difficult for many farmers to plant their fields. Some vegetable crops (e.g., potatoes) were not removed from fields, so they will provide good sustenance to wintering grazers. However, because many winter cover crops were not planted, the net benefit to waterfowl may not be large.
Throughout much of the Interior and Peace regions, waterfowl breeding effort was slightly depressed, and the fall flight appeared to reflect that. Migration is mostly concluded in these areas, as frozen conditions and snowfall arrive.
The late autumn was relatively dry in the central Interior, where the frost seal is expected to be fair or good at best. Although moisture conditions are still below the long-term average in the southern Interior, they are above the long-term average in the southeast Interior due to good summer and fall precipitation. The frost seal will likely be poor in the Peace region, where the summer and fall seasons were dry, and moisture conditions are significantly lower than the long-term average.
This report should only be redistributed as a full PDF document, with DUC permission.
Download the full November Report report.
Current moisture maps are also available through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s website at w ww.agr.gc .ca/pfra/drought/pr_e.htm.
Detailed breeding waterfowl survey reports and forecasts are available at www.fws.gov/migratorybirds /.
