WATERFOWL DREEDING GROUND SITRYEY IN MANITOBA - 1949 
E. RH. Cole 
In 1945, the Manitoba Gane Sranch, under the direction of G, W. Malaher, 
established a system of transects through some of the better waterfowl breeding 
areas of the Frovince. A dozen Conservation officers were agsigned the job of 
counting waterfowl and noting any other same apecies along these transects. 
They devote from four to six days each spring on this activity. These men were 
inetructed in obaerving and recording 1n accordance with standard inventory 
procedures described elsewhere. A primary objective wae to determine whether 
breeding ground inventory methods now in use would sive similar answera to 
both trained biologists and keen conservation officerg (known in some areas ag 
gane wardens}. 
It ils now possible to state with conviction that field parties opersting 
indenendently cao obtain remarkably simllar counts provided that the personnel 
involved are properly instructed ln using the transect method, can identify 
duck species, and are wliling to work. 
The following comparisons between biclogist and conservation officer 
data illustrate the similarity of results obtained: 

Inventory District No. Tucks per Rovere mile 
Biolowista Conservation Officers 
1 B4,0 3.5 
2 33.4 38.6 | 
Mi S42 35.5 
s) 21.4 74.0 
ATerAFe nO .8 5O, 4 
Most of the transecte worked by biologiste and conservetion officera 
were not identical and the date of counting along them was oot the same 
(although within the same ten-day period). However, the final answer wae 
similar. Even pore loportant, both fproups of duck counters came to similar 
conclusions regarding the upward trend from 1942 to 1949. It is measuring 
this change in trend from one year to the next that is all-important in 
evaluating the waterfowl situation. 
& marked similarity also if apoutrent when comparing species density 
figures obtained by the biolezists and conservation officers. 
Number of Individuals per souare mile 
Dist. No. Mal. Bald. Fin. 58.W.T, Shov, F.H. Can. L.5. Coot 
1 (6, O.} 13.9 1.8 46.1 22,0 6.1 0.7 1.0 wt. £4. 
1 (Biol.) 14.9 2.2 5.9 22,2 4.4 0.4 2.7 0.5 4 
{C, 0.) 18.9 6.2 7.5 18.0 
7.3 5.6 
7 1.4 7,2 #,0 13.1 
(Bici.} 17.6 : a 
2 
18.3 oe 4,6 6.5 8.8 lz-4 
Ga oF 
Bg 
