27 
A cold spring in Stratum C, where ice and snow remained at higher elevations 
until after the May survey, and the cold weather in Stratum A delayed nesting from 
10 days to two weeks on the prairies, Nest losses due to stubble plowing were rather 
high in Stratum C, while heavy late spring rains in Stratum A caused considerable 
nest loss. Observed broods in Stratum C showed 1.26 broods per square mile with a 
potential hatch of 1.59 broods per square mile. The total figure of 2.85 broods per 
square mile, though a 28 percent reduction over the 1952 figure is still above average 
for this semi-arid region. Observed brood densities in Stratum A were 3.12 broods 
per square mile, plus a potential later hatch of 1.35 broods or a total production of 
4,47 broods per square mile. This is a 12.5 percent reduction over last year's 
production but again the 1952 figure was exceptional. Weather factors are undoubtedly 
responsible for the reduction in average brood size, 4.8 ducklings per brood in 
Stratum C and 5.5 per brood in Stratum A. Spotty observations in both of these strata 
indicated an appreciably larger brood size in the second hatch (approximately 7.0 
ducklings per brood). 
The greatest increase in breeding populations occurred in the parklands, 
Stratum B. Conditions were generally excellent throughout the nesting season, nest 
losses due to agricultural activity were relatively light and evidences of renesting were 
few and scattered. An observed brood density of 2.89 ducklings per brood was 
augmented by a potential later hatch of 0.41 broods per square mile or a total of 3. 30 
broods per square mile. This is a 29 percent increase over the 1952 production index. 
In keeping with the improved climatic conditions, the brood average in the parklands 
was 5.7 young per brood, the highest in the Province. 
The provincial average brood size is recorded as 5,5 young per brood. The 
average brood density for the Province is 3.88 broods per square mile, Thus for all 
the vagaries of weather which have prevented a repetition of 1952's exceptional crop, 
the 1953 results are only 3.7 percent below the exceptional. In 1952, aerial observa- 
tions indicated that it took 4,16 pairs of breeding ducks to produce 1 brood of young. 
This year, in spite of many adverse factors, it apparently took 4.79 pairs to produce 
one successful brood. 
During the month of July, severe, widespread and frequent hailstorms of great 
destructive force swept many areas of the parklands and prairies. Careful and 
conservative aerial checks of the damage to adults and young, indicate a loss of about 
3 percent of the index of production. Most of the hail losses on the prairies occurred 
after the July aerial surveys had been made and are not reflected in figures of 
production for Stratum A and C. One severe storm covering 700 square miles of 
Stratum B had occurred prior to the survey of that area and its effects are tallied in 
production figures for that stratum. 
