Summary 
The following tabulation shows, in condensed form, the totals by 
states on all census areas: 



State 1950 Total 1951 Total © Number of Counts 
Maine 208 185 15 
New Hampshire 11 12 1 
Vermont 91 95 10 
Massachusetts 129 | 131 h 
Connecticut 5S hs nn 
New York | 13) 133 17 
Grand Total 628 601 | 61 

From the data it may be seen that the status of breeding woodcock 
in northeastern United States showed a slight decrease this spring in 
comparison with 1950. Since the decrease amunted to only percent, 
it does not appear to present any very serious problems, especially in 
view of the favorable status of the species for the three years prior to 
1951. This year's over-all decrease resulted largely from losses in 
Maine and Connecticut. | 
Several interesting points were noted in an examination of the 
individual census data sheets and in correspondence with various co- 
operators. Local fluctuations always occur, but this year the changes 
were much more pronounced. A large number of areas showed either marked 
increases or heavy decreases. These abrupt changes were observed es- 
pecially in Maine, Vermont, and New York. 
Another fact mentioned by a number of cooperators, and observed to 
a surprising degree by the writer in eastern Maine, was a very unusual 
tendency by male birds for changing territories during the height of the 
breeding season. Such shifting of singing grounds, observed on repeat 
checks, greatly complicated the evaluation of the census data. This 
always occurs to a limited extent but in 1951 it was observed rather 
frequently on some areas. This easily could have accounted for a 
sampling error as large or larger than the ) percent decrease recorded. 
22 
