76 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 61, FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



Anas strepera: Gadwall 



The gadwall has been considered to be "accidental" in Alaska, 

 on the strength of two records for the Pribilof Islands. It was, 

 therefore, of particular interest to find that this bird nests 

 regularly in parts of Alaska. 



On May 16 and 17, 1937, several pairs of gadwalls were 

 found on the Copper River Flats, near Cordova, not far from 

 the mouth of Eyak River. Evidently, these were paired birds 

 that were preparing to nest. 



Alfred M. Bailey (1927) reports a pair at Bartlett Cove, 

 Glacier Bay, on August 9, and "felt sure" he had identified a 

 band at Holkham Bay on September 25, though the light was poor. 



Cahalane (1943) reports that two gadwalls were shot on Oc- 

 tober 2, 1940, at the head of Terror Bay, Kodiak Island. 



Chase Littlejohn says "A few of these ducks were shot by me 

 while on their way north in the spring at Dolgoi Island, near 

 Belkofski. They were the only ones seen." 



On the north side of Alaska Peninsula, where suitable marsh- 

 lands are present, the gadwall is fairly common. On May 27 to 

 29, 1936, they were common on the tidal marsh and on numerous 

 ponds adjacent to Ugashik River where they were courting and 

 preparing to nest. Generally, a female would be seen flying about, 

 pursued by two or more males. On May 28, this species was 

 recorded as "the principal duck seen," and on May 29 "they and 

 the scaups made up most of the duck population." A pair was 

 collected for specimens. 



At Port Moller, residents assured us that gadwalls nest plenti- 

 fully in the lakes upriver from Nelson Lagoon. 



On May 8, 1925, I observed 4 gadwalls near the shore of a 

 lagoon at Urilia Bay, Unimak Island ; 2 of these were taken for 

 specimens. On May 21, five gadwalls were seen among the ponds 

 on Hazen Point in Izembek Bay ; gadwalls were seen repeatedly 

 as late as July 25. 



Beals and Longworth, in a field report, mention that they saw 

 4 gadwalls on Unimak Island, March 19, 1941, 1 of which was 

 collected. Local residents considered it to be uncommon. 



Gabrielson reports a male and female on a lake at Izembek 

 Bay, June 4, 1942. During the fall and winter periods of 1943 

 and 1944, he found them to be common among the Kodiak- 

 Afognak Islands. 



Turner (1886) records a specimen taken at Unalaska Island 

 in December, 1878, and states that they are "abundant" along the 

 Yukon Delta district in summer. Nelson does not mention it, 



