species are limited but suggest average 
production (table B-60). 
INDIANA 
Data supplied by Russell Hyer 
Indiana Department of Conservation 
Weather and habitat conditions 
Water conditions during the breeding 
season were highly variable. Rainfall 
during the spring and early summer in the 
southern and central parts of the State 
were the heaviest for this period in recent 
years. In the northwestern counties, 
moderate to severe drought conditions 
have persisted for approximately a year. 
In northeastern Indiana, conditions have 
been normal. 
Production indexes 
During the 1964 stream survey, 57 
wood duck broods were observed, a de¬ 
crease of 62.0 percent from last year. 
Average brood size was 6. 3 (table B-61). 
IOWA 
Data supplied by 
Iowa Conservation Commission 
Weather and habitat conditions 
A dry fall and winter left many of the 
small potholes in northern Iowa very low 
or dry this spring. 
Good rains in April helped relieve the 
situation some, but below normal rainfall 
in May, June, and July resulted in most 
of the small potholes going dry before 
broods started showing themselves. The 
bigger State-owned and private areas held 
good water levels during the spring pro¬ 
duction period. Over 75 percent of the 
potholes of 4 acres or less were dry by 
the first week of July. 
High water levels and high muskrat 
populations on the larger State-owned 
areas the last 3 years have resulted in a 
notable decrease in the quantity of emer¬ 
gent vegetation on the areas. Many of the 
larger areas that have no water conti ol 
structure have very little or no emergent 
vegetation this year. 
Breeding population indexes 
Waterfowl flights moved into Iowa this 
spring a week or two ahead of normal. 
Early nesting was held back by cold and 
rainy weather. A sharp freeze the latter 
part of April froze over the marshes and 
killed quite a few coot and diving ducks. 
Nesting of mallards started the first week 
of May. Blue-winged teal nesting started 
the first week of June. Broods started 
showing up 1 or 2 weeks later than nor¬ 
mal this spring. 
Production indexes 
Information from drive trapping shows 
that blue-winged teal production was 
down 25 to 30 percent from the extreme 
high of 1963, but still very good when 
compared with a 10-year average. Mal¬ 
lard and redhead production was down 
slightly from last year, and coot pro¬ 
duction was down 75 percent or more. 
The great drop in coot production was 
probably due to the lack of emergent veg¬ 
etation, and extremely high winds this 
spring. Ruddy duck and the other nesters 
in Iowa compared quite favorably with 
last year. Wood duck production was up 
25 to 30 percent in the prairie pothole 
region of Iowa. More broods of wood 
duck were seen and banded in 1964 than 
in any previous year. The production 
was late this year, but from all indica¬ 
tions there will be a good late hatch. 
Approximately 1, 800 birds were band¬ 
ed this year in Iowa. 
MISSOURI 
Data supplied by 
Missouri Conservation Commission 
Weather and habitat conditions 
An early spring triggered early nesting 
by wood ducks in Missouri. Before the 
19 
