Northwest Territories · Year-round resident

Mallards in Northwest Territories

When mallards are present in Northwest Territories, when they nest, which native Northwest Territories plants feed them, and how to host them in a Canada 0a–1a yard.

Ducks and geese (Anatidae)MallardAnas platyrhynchos

Status in Northwest Territories: Year-round resident
Nesting window: April–June
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: Canada 0a–1a

When to expect mallards in Northwest Territories

Mallards live in Northwest Territories all year. Extremely cold, dark winters. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them.

Subarctic boreal forest in the south, Arctic tundra in the north.

Nesting in Northwest Territories

Across Northwest Territories, mallards typically nest from April–June. Plan around that window: March for setup, June for clean-out.

Brief summers with midnight sun.

Mallards don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as paper birch, willow (bebb), dwarf birch for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.

Native Northwest Territories plants that attract mallards

Of the regional native plants we track for Northwest Territories, these 4 provide food or cover mallards use:

Paper birch

Betula papyrifera · Tree

Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.

Willow (Bebb)

Salix bebbiana · Shrub

Early catkins draw insects for arriving warblers and hummingbirds.

Dwarf birch

Betula glandulosa · Shrub

Catkin seed for redpolls on the tundra.

Fireweed

Chamaenerion angustifolium · Perennial

Tall magenta spikes are a key northern hummingbird flower.

Feeding mallards through the Northwest Territories year

Top foods: Cracked corn, Duck pellets.
In Northwest Territories's winter: Extremely cold, dark winters.

Full diet breakdown for mallards · Best feeder for mallards

Frequently asked

Are mallards in Northwest Territories year-round?

Yes. Mallards are year-round residents in Northwest Territories.

When do mallards nest in Northwest Territories?

Nesting in Northwest Territories typically runs April–June, with 1 per season. Clutches are 1–13 eggs, incubated for 23–30 days.

What native plants attract mallards in Northwest Territories?

Paper birch, Willow (Bebb), Dwarf birch, Fireweed are native plants in Northwest Territories that provide food or cover for mallards.

Other backyard birds in Northwest Territories

Black-capped Chickadee Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Red-winged Blackbird Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow Canada Jay White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Varied Thrush American Crow Common Raven Sharp-shinned Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Great Horned Owl American Kestrel Great Blue Heron Belted Kingfisher Brown-headed Cowbird Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Winter Wren Pine Grosbeak Red Crossbill Western Tanager Yellow Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Black-and-white Warbler Ovenbird Orange-crowned Warbler Palm Warbler Red-eyed Vireo Warbling Vireo Least Flycatcher Cliff Swallow Bank Swallow Common Nighthawk Canada Goose American Coot Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper Osprey Bald Eagle Merlin Peregrine Falcon Northern Saw-whet Owl Black-backed Woodpecker American Three-toed Woodpecker Savannah Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Harris's Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Snow Bunting Lapland Longspur Horned Lark Common Redpoll Hoary Redpoll White-winged Crossbill Bohemian Waxwing Rusty Blackbird Rock Pigeon

Sources

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.