WATERFOWL BREEDING GROUND SURVEY, 1953 in ALASKA 
Urban ©. Nelson 
Introduction 
Since 1949 Fish and Wildlife Service personnel have flown aerial transects 
over some of the known important breeding grounds in Alaska for the purpose of 
securing an index to waterfowl populations and yearly trends for predicting fall 
populations. While the method employed provided indices for local areas it was 
not known if these indices reflected population levels in all of Alaska. In an effort 
to secure an Alaska wide index to waterfowl levels and to standardize, improve and 
simplify procedure, the 1953 aerial surveys were conducted on a uniform sampling 
basis somewhat different than in previous years. A map was prepared delineating 
or Stratifying areas by estimated "breeding pairs of game ducks per scuare mile" 
and random sample transects flown in all areas with the number of transects 
dependent on the size of the area and the waterfowl per square mile. . 
Nesting studies and banding work were conducted on the Minto Lakes area near 
Fairbanks, Alaska under the direction of Dr. John Buckley of the Alaska Cooperative 
Wildlife Research Unit. The field work by Dr. Brina Kessel, assisted by Robert A. 
Hinman and Peter E. K. Shepard, consisted of studies of population levels, nesting . 
and hatching success and methods of distinguishing ducklings of Lesser from 
Greater Scaup. 
Sigurd T. Olson assisted by Calvin Elshoff and John Harris secured hatching 
success and production data and banded on the Copper River Delta. 
Nesting studies and banding work was carried out on the Fort Yukon Flats on 
the Upper Yukon for the first time this year by Calvin J. Lensink, 
Paul Adams continued the surnmer waterfowl surveys and banding on the Lower 
Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta for the 5th year. Efforts were concentrated on the brant and 
cackling goose concentrations, 
Methods Used in Sampling and Area Covered 
Aerial Surveys 
On the basis of previous surveys and reports, climatic and topographic features, 
a map of Alaska was prepared segregating waterfowl population density areas by l, 2, 
5, 10 and 25 ducks per square mile. Flight routes were laid out on a random basis, 
equally spaced, parallel in pattern and at right angles to the direction of major 
drainage. Randomness of the system, to insure data amenable to statistical analysis, 
was provided for by a random point of beginning. Flights were made ona time basis 
or between landmarks, or a combination of both. Uniform widths of 1/4-mile were 
used and by using transects 16 miles long the data was easily converted to a square 
mile basis, The survey was made at a time designed to cover the period of egg laying 
or incubation, Only breeding pairs of mallard, pintail, teal, baldpate, shoveler, 
gadwall, scaup, goldeneye, bufflehead, and canvasback were counted. Single ducks 
were recorded as a pair and flocks of 11 or more birds were considered non-breeders 
and not counted, 
