179 
Table VI. - Total Waterfowl Production, Brown's Park, Colorado - 1952-1953 
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No. | Production 
Species Breeding-Pairs No. Broods No. Young Per Sq. Mi. 
1952 1953 1952 1953 1952 1953 1952 1953 
Canada Geese 21 12 18 9 109 5l 7.27 °° 3.40 
Mallard ; 121 196 91 20 668 144 44.53 9.60 
Pintail 14 15 10 . 6 66 49 4.40 3.27 
Gadwall 60 43 9 2 55 14 3.67 .93 
Shoveler 7 20 1 0 1 0 "107 e 
Teals 49 79 37 21 283 162 18. 87 10,80 
Redhead 35 ll 18 2 131 15 8.73 1,00 
Ruddy duck 5 8 7 0 37 0 2.47 - 
Unidentified 0 0 27 5 181 23 12.07 1,53 
Total 
Geese 21 12 18 9 109 51 7.27 3.40 
Ducks 291 372 200 56 1,422 407 94. 80 27.13 
White River Plateau 
One of the most important breeding areas in the State is the complex of high- 
country streams, lakes and beaver-dams. When it is considered that there are about 
20,000 square miles of National Forest land in the higher elevation of Colorado, it can 
be readily understood that production, no matter how small per square mile, could 
become considerable when projected over this vast area. 
The study of waterfowl on the White River Plateau was initiated purposely to 
determine, in at least one area, the amount of production for the high altitudes. 
Although it is not considered typical of all high-country types, the 6.8 young produced 
per square mile in 1952 and the 6.1 young produced per square mile in 1953 on this 
area emphasizes that the potential from this hither to unstudied type could approach 
100,000 young annually. Actual production, however, is yet to be determined, and 
will not be considered until better estimates of both production per square mile, and 
the extent of arca are obtained. 
Table VII lists the results from the 1953 study and compares it to that of 1952. 
During the 1953-season there was a decrease of 17 percent in breeding-pairs which 
was borne, for the most part, by green-winged teals. This reduction in breeding 
population was partially compensated for by an increase in the number of young per 
brood. Production for 1953 was 10 percent below that of 1952. This means that 2, 180 
young were produced on 360 miles of comparable type rather than 2,440 as in 1952, 
One important reason for the reduction in number of broods and young was the 
2-week delay in run-off from this high-country. Undoubtedly many pairs which would 
have nested here were discouraged by the lateness of season and attempted to nest 
elsewhere. 
