Migratory birds are federally managed based on the routes the birds follow as they migrate. There are 4 North American Flyways based on these routes, and MNRF conducts its duck banding program through a funding partnership with the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyway Councils. Through this partnership, MNRF staff have banded over 58,000 ducks from 58 sites across Ontario since 1996. To date, over 11,000 of those bands have been recovered, mostly by waterfowl hunters.
Image credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Duck banding happens each August and September and involves the use of airboats and dipnets to capture ducks at night. An aluminum band with a unique number is attached to the leg of each duck that gets caught. The band number, age, sex and species of the ducks is recorded before releasing them. When a banded duck is found or harvested, the band number can be reported to the Canadian Bird Banding Office, managed by the federal government.
Duck banding provides information like migration routes, distribution and survival rates. Findings can contribute to the hunting regulations and limits for upcoming years.
Most MNRF banded ducks have been found in North America (9 provinces and 40 states). However, they have also been recovered in places like the Bahamas, Cuba, Colombia, Dominican Republic and more.
Duck banding is an essential part of what the MNRF does to support conservation efforts.
Find more information on the bird banding program.