Duck's Eye View

Honourable Mention

What does a duck see when flying over a wetland that determines if it stays or goes? This photo, taken with a drone, shows the many trails made by ducks criss-crossing through floating vegetation in a human-made wetland. Do signs of other ducks at a wetland attract passing ducks or deter them? How do we improve these human-made wetlands for wildilfe? I am collecting data at human-made wetlands in southeastern New Brunswick to try and answer some of these questions. With over 80% of coastal wetlands lost along the Bay of Fundy, human-made wetlands must compensate for the huge losses of wetland habitat across the region. Therefore, it is necessary to better understand the role of these human-made habitats in our landscape. My research will help us better manage these sites so that a passing duck decides to stay and create its own paths in the wetland.