Wildlife Service, augmented "by those of officers of the Canadian ITational Parks 

 Bureau. . ' ■■:■ 



PART 1: MIGRATORY WATER?C'.^ 

 Spring Migration 



As a result of the annual inventory taken in January 1*^UU, the total North 

 American population of game v/aterfowl (ducks, geese, sv;sns , and coots) was. esti- 

 mated at 125,. "^50, 000. 



The usua.l check was made on the sioring migra.tion and 3'^'^ rer)orts vrere re- 

 ceived. On gross analysis for waterfowl in general, these shov/ed 117 reports of 

 increase, 7"^ of no change, and 2S of decrease. The percentage of o'bservers that 

 reported increases v/as 3 percent "belov; that for IQU3, "but this was entirely 

 a'bsor'bed in the percentage of those reporting no cha.nge. ITo important gajne soecies 

 showed any conspicuous losses althoij^h the status of the G-reen-winged Teal and the 

 Wood Duck indicated that these species v/ould "bear watching. 



According to reports from the "biologist of the Mississippi ?ly\-.'ay the Wood 

 Buck situation was complicated by heavy predation at the nesting season during 

 floods in the Mississippi Valley. 



On the "basis of the flyways, the most impressive gains were registered for' 



the Central region - • 



- • .... 3reeding-0-round Surveys 



Cana.da 



The waterfowl T^reeding grounds in the Maritime Province's of ITova Scotia, New 

 Briinswi-ck, and Pr-ince Edward' Island were surveyed for the eigh'th' consecutive year 

 "by the •'bi'ologdst of the Atlantic Flyv;a,y. Pro'^uction of the important Black Duck 

 appeared to "be normal with increases recorded also for "both the 31ue-winged and 

 G-reen-winged Teals, as well as for the .Hing-necked Duck. The Pintail has "become 

 established as a "breeder in Westmoreland County, New Brunswick, and still another 

 "breeding duck v;as added to this Province with the discovery of a Redhead nesting 

 on the St. John River in the general vicinity of Predericton. The opinion among 

 sTDortsraen indicated that the Canada Geese of the northeastern flight were slowly 

 increasing, • • • , ' 



Cana,di°n officers reported that- the Black Duck made no important gain'ih'the 

 Provinces of Ontario and Q,ue"bpc .',,." 



The need for a detailed study on the "breeding grount^s of the Canada Geese "that 

 concentrate so heavily in the Horseshoe Lake area of Illinois, cav«=!ed the "biologist 

 of the Mississippi Ply\«'ay to spend most of the summer in the region of Jamiss Bay, 

 Ontario. Nevertheless, through the courtesy of the Canadian National Parks Bureau, 

 a copy of the retjort of the Chief Pedp>ral Migratory Bird Officer for the Prairie 

 Provinces, was made availa'ble. ■. 



