 Breeding evidence |
 Relative abundance |
 Probability of observation |
Click for a larger version or to add map overlays |
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Click on plot to view table of mean abundance
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Number of squares
Long-term BBS trends
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-1.22 (-2.15 - -0.258)|
Mean abundance (number of birds detected per 5 min. point count) and percentage of squares occupied by region Bird Conservation Regions [abund. plot]
[%squares plot]
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Atlas Results
The ubiquitous Mallard was observed across the province in 2,093 squares, taking third place for species reported in the most atlas squares behind American Robin (2,243) and Red-winged Blackbird (2,274). Their broad habitat preferences and tolerance of human disturbance make them an easy species to confirm breeding, with sightings of ducklings overwhelmingly responsible for confirmation in 581 squares. Although waterfowl populations are not well-assessed by point count surveys, the Relative Abundance map is nevertheless instructive for showing centres of relatively higher abundance, especially in the south where those areas otherwise fade into the background Probability of Observation map. In the boreal, the probability of observing Mallards dropped substantially, especially north of the Churchill River Uplands ecoregion.
Note: During all years of the Saskatchewan Breeding Bird Atlas drought conditions persisted and the Atlas range maps for all waterfowl, waterbirds, and wetland-associated species should be viewed as characteristic of distribution and abundance during dry conditions. Read the full drought statement here.
Excerpts Adapted from the Birds of Saskatchewan:
If asked to name a duck, a stranger on the street would likely name the Mallard, the most abundant and recognizable duck in North America. The Mallard drake is a common sight on ponds throughout Saskatchewan, and is fondly referred to as a "Greenhead." In North America, the species breeds from Alaska and the Maritime provinces south to Baja California and the southern US, and winters from southern Alaska and southern Canada south to northern Mexico (AOU 1998).
Mallards are not picky. As migrants, they use any type of wetland: marshes, potholes, sloughs, ponds, lake margins, rivers, ditches, and flooded fields. Breeding pairs establish territories on small ponds and protected bays of larger ponds, and nest in all types of habitats, including grasslands, hayfields, forests, shelterbelts, croplands, even occupied farmyards. Post-breeding drakes gather in large marshes to moult.
Mallard abundance varies considerably over the province: from common in the Parklands, less numerous but still common in the grasslands and boreal forest, to only fairly common in the Subarctic (Smith 1996). North American breeding population abundance was estimated at 10.9 million birds (± 0.3 million) in 2014, 42% above the long-term average (USFWS 2014). The breeding population in the southern half of Saskatchewan at that time was estimated at 2.5 million, a 23% increase from the long-term average in this region (ibid.).
Original text by Pauline Bloom. Text adapted by Daniel J. Sawatzky
Read more about the Mallard in the Birds of Saskatchewan here.
Recommended citation: Latremouille, L. M. 2025. Mallard in Latremouille, L. M., S. L. Van Wilgenburg, C. B. Jardine, D. Lepage, A. R. Couturier, D. Evans, D. Iles, and K. L. Drake (eds.). 2025. The Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Saskatchewan, 2017-2021. Birds Canada. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan https://sk.birdatlas.ca/accounts/speciesaccount.jsp?sp=MALL&lang=en [14 Nov 2025]
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