Perch Supply
Nunavut · Summer breeder

Mallards in Nunavut

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

Ducks and geese (Anatidae)MallardAnas platyrhynchos
Status in Nunavut
Summer breeder
Nesting window
April–June
Broods
1 per season
Hardiness zones
Canada 0a

When to expect mallards in Nunavut

Mallards are summer residents in Nunavut, arriving shortly before nesting begins in April and leaving after the young are independent.

Arctic tundra across the mainland and Arctic Archipelago.

Nesting in Nunavut

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

A few weeks of summer thaw when tundra birds nest.

  • 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 Nunavut plants that attract mallards

Of the regional native plants we track for Nunavut, 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 Nunavut year

  • Top foods: Cracked corn, Duck pellets.
  • In Nunavut's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.

Full diet breakdown for mallards · Best feeder for mallards

Frequently asked

Are mallards in Nunavut year-round?

No. Mallards are summer breeders in Nunavut and leave for the winter.

When do mallards nest in Nunavut?

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

What native plants attract mallards in Nunavut?

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

Mallards in other regions

AlabamaAlaskaAlbertaArizonaArkansasBritish ColumbiaCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineManitobaMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew BrunswickNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNewfoundland and LabradorNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaNorthwest TerritoriesNova ScotiaOhioOklahomaOntarioOregonPennsylvaniaPrince Edward IslandQuebecRhode IslandSaskatchewanSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingYukon

Other backyard birds in Nunavut

American RobinDark-eyed JuncoCommon RedpollAmerican Tree SparrowCanada JayWhite-crowned SparrowCommon RavenBelted KingfisherRuby-crowned KingletGolden-crowned KingletHermit ThrushWinter WrenPine GrosbeakRed CrossbillOrange-crowned WarblerPalm WarblerBank SwallowCanada GooseSpotted SandpiperMerlinPeregrine FalconNorthern Saw-whet OwlAmerican Three-toed WoodpeckerSavannah SparrowHarris's SparrowSnow BuntingLapland LongspurHorned LarkCommon RedpollHoary RedpollWhite-winged CrossbillBohemian WaxwingRusty Blackbird

Sources

  1. Mallard — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  2. Mallard life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  3. Mallard — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
  4. eBird region overview and bar charts — Nunavut
  5. Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada — Natural Resources Canada
  6. Audubon Native Plants Database

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.