
259 
WATERFOWL BREEDING GROUND SURVEY - MAINE 
1955 
Howard L. Mendall 
Introduction 
This report summarizes the results of the 1955 waterfowl breeding 
ground studies in Maine. These investigations are conducted annually by the 
personnel of the Maine Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit under the supervision 
of the writer. In 1955 he was assisted by Malcolm Coulter and Richard Marquardt 
of the Unit staff. During the nest hunting work, special assistance also was given 
by Graduate Assistant Robert Weeden, by State Regional Biologist Henry Carson, 
by State Game Warden Lawrence Caron, by Eldon Clark, Biologist of the Moose- 
horn National Wildlife Refuge, by John Dudley of Calais, and by J. William 
Peppard of Holden. 
These investigations have been conducted for 17 consecutive years. 
Coverage and techniques in 1955 were essentially the same as in previous years 
although a few changes were made in the specific areas used for censusing. 
Several areas which did not lend themselves well to breeding pair counts, or which 
were too time consuming to cover, or on which good brood counts could not be 
, made have been eliminated; also a few new study areas have been added. In such 
cases previous figures have been adjusted to permit direct comparison with the 
1955 data. 
The study areas are located in northern, central and eastern Maine 
and are believed to be quite representative of this broad section of the State. The 
principal species of breeding game ducks are the black duck and the ring-neck. 
(Southern Maine, where wood ducks are more common, and western Maine, where 
the goldeneye is a regular breeder, are not included in these studies.) Waterfowl] 
habitat sarmpled consisted of four general fresh-water types: (1) sedge-meadow 
marshes, (2) bogs, (3) swamps, and (4) large rivers. 
The studies consist of three phases: (1) a count of pairs and territorial 
males prior to and during the early part of the breeding season; (2) a sample nest- 
ing study to determine nesting conditions and success; (3) brood counts commencing 
with the beginning of the hatching period. 
Breeding Populations 
Waterfowl populations at the start of the 1955 breeding season appeared 
to be quite satisfactory. Black ducks were slightly decreased on the study areas 
for the second consecutive year, but the loss was so small (five percent) as to have 
little or no significance. This loss occurred entirely in eastern Maine; little 
