Will these ducks migrate to Canada?

By Aaron Horrell

The three ducks I have photographed here are a mallard drake and two mallard hens. Mallards can be found year round in most of the United States. Some in the Midwestern U.S. do not migrate at all, but many do. Those that migrate will fly north in late winter and early spring heading back to places in Canada or Alaska to raise their young.

During migration mallards generally fly at altitudes of between 400 and 2,000 feet. When flying long distances they may fly much higher. Commercial airplanes generally fly at over 20,000 feet.

A mallard typically will lose 20 percent or more of its body weight during migration.