196 


Table I. - Breeding Pairs in North Dakota (146 Square Miles) 
Pairs /Sq. Mile percent Change _Species Composition 
aa 1951 1952 1953 from 1952 1951 1952 1953 
B-w. teal 9.7 8.6 8.4 - 2 32.4% 31.0 33.6 
Pintail 7.4 6.6 5.2 -20 25.0 eae? 20.0 
Mallard 4.0 4.7 4.1 -13 13.4 16.8 16.2 
Shoveler 2.5 1,5 1.3 -10 8.5 5.3 5. e 
Gadwall ee | 2.3 2.9 +27 749 8.2 11.6 
Redhead 1,0 i.l 1.0 - 7 35-3 3.8 3.9 
Canvasback 0.8 0.8 0.8 +10 2.6 Eevee 3.1 
Ruddy duck 0.7 0.9 0.2 -82 2.5 3.2 0.6 
Lesser scaup 0.6 0.8 0.6 -27 2.0 2.8 2.4 
Baldpate 0.5 0.4 0.4 - 3 1.8 1.6 1.7 
All Others 0.1 0.1 0.2 +44 0.3 0.4 0.7 
Total 29.8 27.8 26.2 - 9 100 100 100 
The 1953 raw transect data indicates a loss of 1.6 pairs per square mile from 
1952 and 3.6 pairs per square mile since 195l, 
In general, all species showed a decrease with the exception of gadwall and 
canvasback. The former were still in migration at the time of the census in North 
Dakota so this increase is probably not an actual gain in breeding population. 
Canvasback should have been through migrating at the time of the census, The main 
decrease was caused by the lack of mallards and pintails which was explained 
previously in the paragraph regarding water conditions. The lack of ruddy ducks 
is assumed to be due to a delayed migration rather than an actual decrease (see 
brood counts). 
The coot population on transects was 1,708 as compared to 1,798 in 1952, 
but here again the coot migration was retarded due to the snowstorm of May 11 and 
subsequent cold weather. , 
Success of the Season 
Brood transects were run first on July 21-27 and gave the following results: 
Table II. - Brood Count in North Dakota (86 Square Miles) 
Broods Per Square Mile Percent Change - 
Species T95l. ~~ ©”. ~©6©61952.—~Ci‘ ;OW!C«S SZ from 1952 
B-w. teal 2.47 1,61 0.88 - 45 
Pintail seat 0.90 0.46 - 49 
Mallard 0,59 0.56 0.46 - 17 
Ruddy duck 0.34 0,23 0,09 - 60 
Gadwall 0.33 0.59 0.17 - 71 
Shoveler 0,33 0.15 0.11 - 23 
Redhead 0.26 0.17 0.16 - 7 
Canvasback 0.23 0.21 0.32 + 55 
Lesser scaup 0.17 0.07 0.04 - 33 
Baldpate 0.08 0.01 0.03 h 
Unidentified 0.07 0.00 0.00 - 
ee a a a er er 
Total 6.08 4,50 alt . - 39 
