Birds of a feather flock together! And, happily for
birdwatchers and hunters, aquatic
birds flock to the Rideau River and its banks in great numbers.
Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos.
In fact, 22 species of aquatic
birds, almost all species of ducks and geese, were found during the
Rideau River Biodiversity
Project. The research, conducted by staff members and volunteers
of the Canadian Wildlife Service, is the first extensive survey of its
kind to be conducted along the Rideau River.
Great Blue Heron, Ardea
Several species of aquatic birds, such as Mallard and
Wood Duck, are already known to nest and raise their young along the Rideau
River. Aerial surveys conducted during the autumn of 1998 and spring of
1999 shed light on the River's seasonal role as a migratory
In spring, the migration route of numerous aquatic bird
species takes them by the Rideau River, and many stop there for a breather.
After having rested and eaten, they resume their journey to their nesting
grounds further north.
In autumn these birds migrate to areas where the water
doesn't freeze, usually in the southern and central United States. Aquatic
birds return to the same place to breed and raise their young every year,
usually the place where the females where raised. They even stop at the
same rest places along the way!
The Rideau Bird Sanctuary, which is bordered by the Rideau River, is one of the most
important migratory staging areas in the Ottawa Valley for aquatic birds!