Baoding Operations 
Banding stations were operated in Menitoba at Whiteweter Lake, Delta Mareh, 
near Eslaur snd at Netley Marsh. Hecordes are not available for the Baldur tand— 
duge by Ducke Unlimited or for the Netley bandinge by Colonel Sullivan. About 
3,800 ducks were banded at Whitewater Lake, Bait traps were get there on July 11. 
About ESO ducka were banded before the trapping was diacontinued due to the 
botuliep outbreak. Tucke treated at the hospital aperated by’ the Manitoba Gane 
Branch and Ducks Unlimited were banded before beiag relenged, in order to measure 
the effectiveness of the treatment, 
Duck trape were operated at Delta Maresh by personnel of the Dominion and 
U. S. Wildlife Services, Manitoba Game Branch and Wildlife Management [natitute, 
Most of the trapped birds were flurascoped for the prerence of lead before being 
releaged. Total banded: 3,250, of which about 250 were hand-reared from wild efes, 
Summary 
1. The waterfowl breeding population in Manitoba was measured for the third 
conpecutive year. 
x. An increase was found over the 1948 breeding population, approximating 
60 percent, 
&. Neating logees appeared heary with more pairs required per brood hatched 
than in 1948, Brood averages end survival ratee were high. 
4, Favorable climate conditions te breeding were off-set somewhat DF serlcuse 
poat-nesting loeses from disease, 
B, More than 7,060 ducke were banded in Manitoba durlag the gummer of 1945, 
Appendix 
Dugouta 
(a4 special study by F. Graham Gooch, Dominion Wildlife Serrice) 
Latest figures indicate that in Manitoba some $3,000 "dugeuts" (man-made 
excavaAtiona averaging 165’ x 65! x 12', or 186!' x 60! x 12', used for stock 
watering} have been conetructed to date, malaly in waterfowl Intrentory Diatricte 
oy Ty ana 18. 
For the second year, &n extensive survey wae made to determine the use 
made of these dugouts by waterfowl in Manitoba {see Special Scientific Report 
#60). 
Manitoba in 1949 experienced a decided increase in waterfowl populations. 
The question arose aa to whether thie increase was reflected in an increased use 
of dugoute. Therefore, a total of 391 dugoutesa were inspected by air or on the 
eround. It wae learned that the mte of cceupancy did net change in ordinary dug- 
oute despite the increase. In 1548, 16 percent were occupied; in 1949, 12.5 
percent, In flooded dugouts, howerer, 64.2 pereent were occupled in 1949, sa 
compared to 43,5 percent in 1948, These findings, summarized in the following 
table, suggest that the percentage of occupancy of theee two types of dugouta 
warles with the inventory dletrict, the duck deneity per equare mile, and the 
cecupancy rate of natural sresag, 
65 
