198 
‘Number of water areas showed an increase over 1952 although water levels 
were down at the time of the breeding pair census. Subsequent spring and summer 
rains more than made up for winter drought. 


Table IV. - Number of Water Areas in May ~- South Dakota Transects 
Area 1952 1953 
Waubay Hills 522. 558 
James River Valley 286 276 
Leola Hills 283 320 
Total 1,091 1,154 
Many of the water areas in 1953 were quite temporary in nature so that the 
gain in number of areas in 1953 was not a permanent one. 
The coot population on transects was 972 as compared to 1,197 in 1952 but 
again this decrease may have been due to a retarded migration rather than an actual 
loss in breeding population, 
Success of the Season 
Brood counts were run on 66 square miles of transects on July 27 and 28, and 
a follow-up on August 12 and 13. Ordinarily July 27 and 28 would have been late 
enough but:in 1953 apparently a considerable proportion of the hatch occurred after 
August 1 for such species as gadwall, blue-winged teal, and ruddy duck. The 
following table shows the results of the 1953 brood census compared to 1951 and 
1952. . 
Table V. - Brood Census in South Dakota (66 Square Miles) 
Broods per Square Mile Percent Change 
Species 1951 -—i(‘“‘éz~C TH CSS for 1952 
Blue-winged teal 2.29 Z2.73 2.42 -~ ll 
Pintail 0.51 0.74 0.45 - 39 
Gadwall 0.53 1.06 0.59 ~ 44 
Mallard 0,27 0.54 0.59 - 8 
Redhead 0.23 0.33 0.24 - 27 
Shoveler 0.15 0.24 0.21 - 12 
Ruddy duck 0,14 0.50 0.61 - 21 
Lesser scaup 0.11 0.29 0.09 - 68 
Canvasback 0.09 0.05 0.08 + 67 
Baldpate 0,03 0.03 0.03 0 
Green-winged teal - 0,01 - - 
Unidentified 0 0 0.08 ; - 71 
Total 4.43 6.79 5.39 - 21 
Although a 21 percent decrease in broods is indicated in Table V, the number 
of broods per square mile is still considerably over the 1951 figure but somewhat 
under the brood population for the Waubay area in 1949 on a per square mile basis. 
