156 
Aerial Census 
The number of square miles sampled was over double the coverage of 1952, 
This increase was brought about by more intensive coverage of Some areas and new 
census routes. There was a general increase in the ducks per square mile from 
53.6 in 1952 to 59.2 in 1953 when the same census areas were compared. The 
following table gives a summary of counts on all transects. 
Table I, - Total Ducks Counted by Area and Square Miles as Determinei from 
Aerial Surveys - 1952 and 1953 


Sq. Mi. Sampled Total Ducks Ducks per Sq. Mi. 
Route 1952.~—«21: 953 1952. ~—«:1:953 T952..~~=21953 
Cache 0.0 14.5 - 129 - 8.5 
Box Elder 20.0 48.0 1,160 2,946 57.9 64.5 
Weber 0.5 14.4 -401 2,068 61.7 143.6 
Davis 14,2 14.2 718 386 50.1 2%.2 
Jordan River Clubs 6.7 Ge2 663 670 99.0 108.0 
Salt Lake County 6.7 6.7 277 101 41,3 15,0 
Utah County 18,0 18,0 646 199 35.9 11,0 
Sevier River 0.0 45.0 - 1, 362 - 30.3 
Total 72/1 167.0 3, 865 7, 861 5.36 47.0 
Table II. - Vomposition of Ducks Observed in Ground Counts on Aerial Transect 
Routes -- 1953 


Lone Lone 
Species Pairs Males Females Unclassified Total Percent 
Redhead 353 31 11 455 850 28.4 
Cinnamon teal 478 98 15 72 663 22.2 
Mallard 188 211 45 235 679 22.7 
Gadwall 150 28 5 31 204 6.8 
Ruday 22 15 3 285 325 10.8 
Shoveler 50 56 0 12 118 3.8. 
Pintail 68 45 6 15 134 4.6 
Green-winged teal 2 0 0 15 17 0,6 
Blue-winged teal Z 0 0 0 Zz 0.1 
Lesser scaup - - ~ - - = 
Baldpate ~ - - = = “ 
Total 1,313 484 85 1,120 2,992 100.0 
The decline in the number of ducks counted in Davis County could be attributed 
to the rise in Great Salt Lake which destroyed many of the marshes along the lake 
shore. However, there is no satisfactory explanation for the decline in Utah and 
Salt Lake Counties. The bulk of the better waterfowl habitat is in those counties 
which had an increase in population so the over-all State picture would be a slight 
increase in the breeding population. 
