BIRD COMMUNITY PARAMETERS 

 Waterfowl Communities 



Ha 

 River, 

 small s 

 marshes 

 River p 

 Shupe p 

 work wa 

 Within 

 Nelson 



bitat . Wetland habitats in the study areas are limited to the Missouri 



the Big Dry Arm of Fort Peck Reservoir, streams and stream pools, numerous 

 tockponds, and, along the Missouri River floodplain, a few cattail-bulrush 



Glacial potholes are lacking. Fort Peck Reservoir and the Missouri 

 rovide the most heavily-used waterfowl habitat in the area (Carlson p.c, 

 c.)- These two areas, however, were not studied intensively, and field 

 s concentrated on stockponds on and near the proposed mining area, 

 the mine study area, the only important wetland habitat was provided by 

 Creek and its tributaries, and by the larger, older stockponds. 



Populations . Seventeen species of waterfowl were observed in the study 

 areas during 1977 (table 8). Table 27 shows monthly species composition of 

 all recorded waterfowl observations made during 1977; these same data are pre- 

 sented graphically as percent species composition in figure 36. Also shown is 

 the species composition of breeding (May-July) populations. It is evident from 

 these data that the mallard is the predominant waterfowl species during most of 

 the year, and that the mallard, American wigeon, and blue-winged teal are the 

 principal breeding species. The Canada goose, gadwall, pintail, and green- 

 winged teal were most frequently encountered during migration. 



MAR 



APR 



AUG 



SEP 



OCT 



MONTH 



yr-long 

 ave. 



breeding 

 season oily 



Figure 36. 



Percent species composition of all recorded 1977 waterfowl 

 observations. Circle West study area. 



142 



