

14 
duck index was 14,834, an increase of 6% over 1978. Not- 
able changes by species from 1978 were mallard (+ 23%), 
blue-winged teal (+ 115%), northern shoveler (— 61%), 
and scaup (+ 14%). 
Washington 
Data supplied by Richard C. Parker 
Washington State Game Department 
Weather and Habitat Conditions 
Below normal precipitation during the 1978-79 winter, 
combined with a cooler than normal spring, resulted in a 
19% decrease in the number of potholes available during 
May 1979 compared with May 1978. 
Cool spring weather helped to maintain surface water 
through July 1979 when counts totaled 55 on three tran- 
sects. Surface water was down 17% from July 1978 and 
down 27% from the 1969-78 mean. Although the number 
of potholes counted is down from 1978 and the 10-year 
mean, surface water was generally adequate for the 1979 
waterfowl production year. 
Breeding Population and Production (Tables B-28 and 
B-29) 
The number of adult ducks on Washington breeding 
grounds during 1979 totaled 187,950, which is up 21% 
from 1978 and up 5% from the 1969-78 mean. Dabbling 
ducks made up 76% of the production potential, with a 
total of 143,280, and are up 29% from 1978 and 7% from 
the 10-year mean. 
Mallards responded to available water areas with a 
total of 67,400. They are up 39% from 1978 and up 22% 
above the 10-year mean. All other dabblers showed in- 
creases over 1978 except pintails, which totaled 5,430. 
Pintails were down 26% from 1978 and down 28% from 
the 10-year mean. Adult divers constituted 24% of the 
duck breeding potential during 1979 with a total of 
44,410, up 3% from 1978 and the 10-year mean. Most of 
this increase was attributable to redheads which totaled 
17,880, up 45% from 1978 and up 18% from the 10-year 
mean. Ruddy ducks also showed an increase to 13,340, up 
1% from 1978 and up 7% from the mean. All other divers 
showed a decrease from 1978 and the mean. 
The 1979 total of all ducks, geese, and coots was 
689,300, up 70% from 1978 and up 33% from the 10-year 
mean, Young ducks made up 68% of the index, compared 
with 54% during 1978 and 58% for the long-term mean. 
All other dabbling ducks showed production increases 
over 1978 and the 10-year mean, except pintails which 
totaled 21,300, up 55% from 1978 but down 7% from the 
10-year mean. 
The diving duck index was 105,000, up 48% from 1978 
and up 24% from the 10-year mean. Redhead production 
totaled 43,500, up 89% from 1978 and up 40% from the 
10-year mean. Scaup and ruddy ducks also showed in- 
creases over 1978 and the 10-year mean. Goldeneye pro- 
duction was 6,500, up 63% from 1978 but down 25% 
from the 10-year mean. All other diving ducks were down 
from 1978 and the 10-year mean. 
The Canada goose production index for 1979 was 
12,900, down 8% from 1978 and up 5% from the 10-year 
mean. Most of the production decrease from 1978 was 
attributable to a larger-than-average harvest of large 
Canada geese in eastern Washington during the 1978 
hunting season. Counts in the Okanogan and Channeled 
Scablands do not reflect stocking during 1979, and de- 
creases may be somewhat greater than the total indicates. 
Other depressing effects on Canada goose production re- 
sult from application by farmers of heptachlor-treated 
seed grain on fields and coyote predation on islands in the 
lower Columbia River when pools are lowered for inspec- 
tion in late March. Each of these is related to management 
practices and could be corrected with minor changes. 
Wisconsin 
Data supplied by Richard Hunt, Bruce Moss, 
and Dave Evenson 
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources 
Weather and Habitat Conditions (Table B-30) 
Waterfowl habitat improved considerably over 1978. 
Surface water increased 11% and ditches and streams 
were up 33%. Northern production units include over 
1,000 wetlands, and a 10% sample is used to estimate hab- 
itat conditions. Total wetland habitat improved 13% over 
1978, Of this total, wetland types I and VII (seasonally 
flooded) showed the greatest increases. 
Breeding Populations (Table B-31) 
The adjusted population estimates from 1973 to 1979 
are shown in Table B-31 for each of the three survey 
regions. Survey results are separated to identify mallards 
and blue-winged teal (two of Wisconsin’s most abundant 
locally breeding ducks) as individual species; all other 
species are combined as one group. It should be empha- 
sized that population data for “other species” are based on 
extremely small sample sizes and probably do not accu- 
rately reflect population trends for all species. For this rea- 
son “other species” data must be treated with caution in 
relation to the statewide survey. 
Total breeding ducks in Wisconsin increased 34% from 
1978. Mallards increased 20% and blue-winged teal 29% . 
Total ducks increased 41% in the Southeast-Central re- 
gion, increased 116% in the Northern Low region, and 
decreased 24% in the Northern High region. The 116% 
increase in the Northern Low region is due largely to wood 
duck (Aix sponsa), which increased from 6,600 to 65,600, 
an increase that reflects more on the inadequacy of this 
survey to census wood ducks than on an actual increase in 
wood duck population. 
