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Wascana Park

Waterfowl Display
Ponds

Waterfowl Display Ponds: Text

Information from the signs
(Note: these sign are outdated. In the fall of 2018 the injured birds relocated, never to return?)


 

Pelican
 

THE PELICAN FOUND IN THE DISPLAY POND IS AN INJURED BIRD
TURNED OVER TO WASCANA CENTRE TO GIVE IT A SAFE PLACE
TO LIVE. THIS PELICAN IS FED APROX. 800GRAMS EVERY DAY
THE NORMAL NESTING SITES FOR PELICANS IS IN COLONIES ON
SECLUDED ISLANDS WHERE IT WILL NOT BE DISTURBED BY HUMAN
ACIVITIES.



 

Ring-Billed Gull
 

RING-BILLED GULLS NEST ON TERN ISLAND AND THE SMALL
ISLAND SOUTH OF GOOSE ISLAND. THE RING-BILLED GULL HAS
ADAPTED VERY WELL TO HUMAN INVASION OF NORTH AMERICA
LIVING MAINLY AT OUR SANITARY LANDFILL.



 

Red-Winged Blackbird
 

THE RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD IS THE MOST COMMON BIRD IN
NORTH AMAERICA. IT NESTS AROUND THE EDGE OF THE MARSH.



 

Horned Grebe
 

THE HORNED GREBE NEST IN SWALLOW SLOUGHS
ACROSS THE PRAIRIES.



 

Tours
 

WASCANA WATERFOWL PARK SERVES AS AN OUTDOOR CLASSROOM
FOR THOUSANDS OF SCHOOL CHILDREN ANNUALLY.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR A TOUR
OF THE WATERFOWL MARSH VISIT WASCANA PLACE, 2900 WASCANA
DRIVE, OR CALL 522-3661

SCHOOL CLASSES INTERESTED IN VISITING THE DISPLAY PONDS,
MARSH AREA OR OVERWINTERING STRUCTURE SHOULD CONTACT
THE OUTDOOR EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF EITHER THE SEPERATE
OR PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD OR WASCANA CENTRE AS ABOVE.



 

Mute Swans
 

THIS PAIR OF MUTE SWANS WAS DONATED ON BEHALF OF KEN AND BETTE SEXTON BY THE MANAGEMENT GROUP IN RECOGNITION OF THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF BUSINESS FOR KENROC BUILDING MATERIALS LTD.

MUTE SWANS ARE A NON INDIGENOUS SPECIES OF SWAN TO NORTH AMERICA. THE MUTE SWAN HAS BEEN INTRODUCED TO MANY AREAS OF NORTH AMERICA. MOST OF THE BIRDS INTRODUCED IN CANADA WERE GIVEN AS HONOURABLE GIFTS BY THE ROYAL FAMILY OF BRITAIN.

THIS SPECIES OF MUTE SWAN IS NON-MIGRATORY AND THEREFORE SHOWN ONLY FOR DISPLAY PURPOSES. THE FIRST PAIR OF THIS TYPE OF SWAN WAS GIVEN TO WASCANA WATERFOWL PARK BY THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA. THAT PAIR WERE FREE FLYING AND DISAPPEARED IN THE EARLY 1970'S.

THE BIRDS GIVEN TO THE WATERFOWL DISPLAY POND THIS YEAR ARE OFFSPRING OF ROYAL BIRDS FROM MOOSE JAW'S CRESCENT PARK. THESE MUTE SWANS WILL BE PINIONED AND UNABLE TO FLY AWAY.

MUTE SWANS WILL NOT BREED UNTIL AFTER THEIR THIRD YEAR.



 

Other Swans
 

THE OTHER SWANS FOUND HERE ARE NATIVE SPECIES WHICH
HAVE BEEN INJURED IN THE WILD.
THE TUNDRA SWAN IS SMALLER AND CAN BE IDENTIFIED BY THE
YELLOW SPOT ON ITS BILL. THE TUNDRA SWAN NESTS IN CANADA'S
HIGH ARCTIC.

 

THE LARGER TRUMPETER SWAN IS ON COSEWIC'S THREATENED LIST
WITH A FEW NESTING IN WEST CENTRAL SASKATCHEWAN.



 

Snow Goose
 

THE SNOW GEESE HERE ARE CAPTIVE BIRDS FOR DISPLAY PURPOSES.
SNOW GEESE COME IN TWO COLOUR PHASES -WHITE AND BLUE(grey).
SNOW GEESE NATURALLY MIGRATE FROM THEIR NESTING GROUNDS IN
CANADA'S NORTH TO THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES. PAIRS NEST HERE
IN THE DISPLAY PONDS IN MAY AND KEEP THE RESIDENT POPULATION
CONSISTENT.



 

Northern Pintail
 

THE PINTAIL WAS A COMMON BIRD ON THE PRAIRIES AT ONE TIME BUT IT HAS
NOT ADAPTED WELL TO HABITAT ALTERATION AND IS NOW UNCOMMON.



 

Canada Goose
 

THE CANADA GEESE AT WASCANA ARE A MAJOR ATTRACTION TO RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ALIKE. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE COME TO THE CENTRE YEAR ROUND TO ENJOY THE GEESE. FEEDING THEM BREAD OR GRAIN AND USING THE OCCASION TO PHOTOGRAPH FREE FLYING WILDLIFE.
ON AVERAGE 320 PAIRS OF GEESE NEST IN THE CENTRE RAISING 1400 YOUNG.
IN JUNE THE YOUNG AND SOME ADULTS ARE MOVED FROM THE CENTRE TO SURROUNDING AREAS IN SASKATCHEWAN. THIS GOOSE ROUNDUP IS HELD TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF GEESE IN THE CENTRE AND POPULATE AREAS OF THE PROVINCE WHERE CANADA GEESE ARE NOT PRESENT.

DURING THE WINTER THE INJURED CANADA GEESE ALONG WITH THE CAPTIVE BIRDS FROM THE DISPLAY PONDS AREA ARE MOVED TO THE OVERWINTERING STRUCTURE WHERE THEY ARE FED AND HAVE ACCESS TO WATER.



 

Redhead
 

THE REDHEAD IS A DIVING DUCK FEEDING ON MARSH VEGETATION
BY DIVING AND SWIMMING BELOW THE WATER SURFACE.



 

Mallard
 

THE MALLARD NESTS IN MANY AREAS AROUND WATERFOWL PARK
AS WELL AS THE OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY. UNLIKE THE PINTAIL, IT HAS
ADAPTED WELL TO PEOPLE'S ALTERING OF THE LANDSCAPE.
A DABBLER, IT TIPS UP TO FEED ON VEGETATION ON THE MARSH
BOTTOM.