Canvasback
Canvasback has surged: up 303% on the route-weighted index since 1969.
About the Canvasback
The Canvasback (Aythya valisineria) is a North American member of the Ducks, Geese & Waterfowl (Anatidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the waterfowl.
- Size
- 12–43.5 in long (30–110 cm) — a medium to large waterfowl (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Lakes, ponds, rivers, marshes and sheltered coastal waters.
- Diet
- Aquatic plants, seeds and invertebrates, dabbled at the surface or dived for.
- Range
- Recorded on 186 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 16 states, most concentrated in the Prairie Potholes.
- Family
- Anatidae · Waterfowl
Notable Canvasback Trends
No notable trend signals for Canvasback. See the full index history below.
Canvasback Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Canvasback is projected to fall about 35% by 2029 — from 0.10 in 2024 to a central estimate of 0.07 (95% range 0.01–0.13). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±58.5%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.07 | 0.01 | 0.12 |
| 2026 | 0.07 | 0.01 | 0.12 |
| 2027 | 0.07 | 0.01 | 0.13 |
| 2028 | 0.07 | 0.01 | 0.13 |
| 2029 | 0.07 | 0.01 | 0.13 |
Where the Canvasback Is Detected
BBS routes recording Canvasback, sized by most recent count.
Canvasback Population Trend by State
| Alaska | +535% | 2000 | 8 |
| California | -9% | 1974 | 9 |
| Colorado | insufficient data | n/a | 7 |
| Idaho | insufficient data | n/a | 7 |
| Kansas | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| Minnesota | -73% | 1980 | 8 |
| Montana | -35% | 1978 | 35 |
| Nebraska | insufficient data | n/a | 7 |
| Nevada | -88% | 1980 | 8 |
| New York | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| North Dakota | +254% | 1969 | 36 |
| Oregon | +461% | 1976 | 11 |
| South Dakota | +55% | 1970 | 19 |
| Utah | +173% | 1994 | 7 |
| Washington | -49% | 1986 | 7 |
| Wyoming | +196% | 1989 | 15 |
Canvasback Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| BCR 2 | +306% | 2002 | 3 |
| Great Basin | +205% | 1973 | 38 |
| Northern Rockies | +74% | 1981 | 25 |
| Prairie Potholes | +180% | 1969 | 63 |
| Southern Rockies / Colorado Plateau | -88% | 1990 | 6 |
| Badlands and Prairies | -3% | 1982 | 30 |
Canvasback Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it up about 303% since 1969.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.