WATERFOWL BREEDING GROUND SURVEY JN INDLANA, 1449 
Rueseit E. Munferd 
Indiana's first annusl breeding ground survey was initiated May 1, 19495, 
tn an attempt to evaluate the importance of the State ac a progueer of water= 
fowl and ta lay the groundwork for future surveys. It wasc known that the wood 
duck war the most temmon nester and that it bred in every county, but the @is= 
tribution of other nerting epecies, including the mallard, black duck, and 
blue-vinged teal, wad not so well defined. 
Since no previous survey of this nature had been mace, there were no 
comparative data ave‘lJable and much of this season's work wae, cf necessity, 
exploratory in nature. 
Fiele work was con¢ucted from May 1 to July 31. For the most part, the 
Inveatifator workec alone except for artietance rendered by Purdue Univereity 
pereonnel, conservation officers, anc Fittman-Robertecn employees on the river 
float trips. 
Seemente oF five river coureea locate? in vartous rections of the Btate 
were chosen on which ta run periodic flestes. These cegmente varied in length 
from 12 to 7] miles. The main purpose of this tyre of ceneus was to shtain 
brood infcrmation ana densities of the wood cuck population. It was planned 
to ran the trips cnce each in May, June, and July, but flood waters sometimes 
reetricted these ectivities. Each river was censused twice during the pericd. 
Car transects were laid out in counties situated in the principal 
breeding range and these were run once ar twice in order to sample various 
BOL] regione and habitat types for reletive productivity. 
In the tect known nesting range in northeastern Indiana, and in other 
northern countilés, study areas were censuged on foot at intervale throughout 
the #eacon ta obtain dsta on mallard, black duck, blue-winged teal, and any 
other epecter whick might be breeding. 
In ac¢dition, 92 wood duck toxee situsted on the 3 state game Preperves, 
were checked as often at feeelbie for uzage, hatching ruccess, and other 
Yertinent information. Canada goose nesting on the Jasper-Pulascki State Cane 
Preserve wae etucied to some extent. 
The investigator alen visited 32 lakes in 15 counties at leset once; 
investizatec the usage of strip pits ia the coal mining regian of #oithweetern 
Indiana, and ecouted much of the northern half of the State in order to locate 
preeding areas. 
Methods 
River transects were run by two or three-man crews with the ald of & 
cange and outboard metor. The crew began the float at daybreak or shortly 
after and censused both sanke on the trip downstream. No return trip was made. 
All ducka were tallied as to enecies, and care was taken to avold the tallying 
of the rane birds more than once, where thle war evident. Notes were also kept . 
ag to the tine of observation af all broods anc the aporoximate point along the 
Tiver where they were found. It was felt that this might aid subsequent flosta. 
e00 
