{"id":612807,"date":"2026-04-27T10:39:32","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T14:39:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/?p=612807"},"modified":"2026-04-27T10:39:38","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T14:39:38","slug":"project-update-mallard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/all\/project-update-mallard\/","title":{"rendered":"Project Update: Mallard"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Hi Earth Rangers!&nbsp;Cat&nbsp;here from Ducks Unlimited Canada! Ducks need clean, healthy wetlands to raise their families, but what happens when those wetlands are close to farms?&nbsp;That\u2019s&nbsp;what we set out to discover!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cat-DUC-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-612822\" style=\"width:402px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cat-DUC-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cat-DUC-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cat-DUC-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cat-DUC-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cat-DUC-2048x2048.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cat-DUC-420x420.jpg 420w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cat-DUC-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cat-DUC-696x696.jpg 696w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cat-DUC-1068x1068.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cat-DUC-1920x1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Last summer, our team visited more than 150 wetlands across the Canadian Prairies. First, we counted ducks, like mallards, using drones with super-zoom cameras. We counted pairs in the spring and checked for ducklings in the summer to see how many babies hatched.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"767\" src=\"https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Mallard-blog-3-1024x767.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-612814\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Mallard-blog-3-1024x767.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Mallard-blog-3-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Mallard-blog-3-768x575.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Mallard-blog-3-560x420.jpg 560w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Mallard-blog-3-80x60.jpg 80w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Mallard-blog-3-150x112.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Mallard-blog-3-696x522.jpg 696w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Mallard-blog-3-1068x800.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Mallard-blog-3.jpg 1149w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Mallard-blog-2-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-612815\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Mallard-blog-2-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Mallard-blog-2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Mallard-blog-2-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Mallard-blog-2-560x420.jpg 560w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Mallard-blog-2-80x60.jpg 80w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Mallard-blog-2-150x112.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Mallard-blog-2-696x522.jpg 696w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Mallard-blog-2-1068x801.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Mallard-blog-2.jpg 1099w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, we collected water samples and scooped up tiny bugs (a duck\u2019s&nbsp;favourite&nbsp;food!) to learn if nearby farming changes what ducks eat. We also set up hidden cameras and sound recorders to spot predators like fox and raven.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When the ducks flew south for the winter, it was time for lab work! We tested water quality,&nbsp;identified&nbsp;the bugs living in wetlands, and even used smart computers to listen&nbsp;for&nbsp;bird songs and spot animals in photos.&nbsp;All of this helps us understand how farming affects ducks&nbsp;and their habitats,&nbsp;and&nbsp;more importantly&nbsp;how we can protect wetlands so ducks can grow strong and thrive!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"399\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Mallard-blog-1-edited.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-612817\" style=\"width:313px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Mallard-blog-1-edited.jpg 399w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Mallard-blog-1-edited-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/Mallard-blog-1-edited-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 399px) 100vw, 399px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An example of a bug sample containing lots of \u2018scuds\u2019 that ducks love to eat!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><em>Want&nbsp;to help protect animals like the Mallard? Head to the Adoptions section in the App or visit the Earth Rangers&nbsp;EStore&nbsp;to get your own Mallard Adoption Kit and help support conservation efforts for these awesome animals!&nbsp;<\/em>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"720\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/mallard-edited.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-612813\" style=\"width:495px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/mallard-edited.png 720w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/mallard-edited-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/mallard-edited-630x420.png 630w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/mallard-edited-150x100.png 150w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/mallard-edited-696x464.png 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"173\" src=\"https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/EN_DUC_SaskEnergy_SponsorPlate.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-610618\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/EN_DUC_SaskEnergy_SponsorPlate.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/EN_DUC_SaskEnergy_SponsorPlate-300x87.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-content\/uploads\/EN_DUC_SaskEnergy_SponsorPlate-150x43.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hi Earth Rangers! Cat here from Ducks Unlimited Canada! Ducks need clean, healthy wetlands to raise their families, but what happens when those wetlands are close to farms? <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":236039,"featured_media":612822,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1631,931],"tags":[1565,1975],"class_list":{"0":"post-612807","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-ww-adoptions","8":"category-all","9":"tag-adoptions","10":"tag-mallard"},"pp_force_visibility":null,"pp_subpost_visibility":null,"pp_inherited_force_visibility":null,"pp_inherited_subpost_visibility":null,"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/612807","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/236039"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=612807"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/612807\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":612823,"href":"https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/612807\/revisions\/612823"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/612822"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=612807"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=612807"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.earthrangers.com\/EN\/CA\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=612807"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}