y 
| CENTRAL FLYWAY 
NORTH DAKOTA 
Weather and Water Conditions ~ Mild and open winter with light 
prowfall. Spring runoff light with subsequent lowered water levels. April 
and May were wet and cold causing considerable renesting. Wet conditions 
which continued through, mid-June boosted the water supply and extended the 
season about three weeks. The number. of water areas were up 45 percent 
over 1952, ; 
Breeding Population Indices - Compared to 1952 the breeding population 
was up about 20 percent but was the same as the 1948-53 average. Coot 
indices dropped 43 percent. These indices are. shown in the following 
ae . , 
~The oe Indices to Total Breeding Ducks 
Ave, Index 7 | Percent Change — 
F Species 1948-1953 1952 Index 1953 Index of 1953 Index from 








Mallard (195,496 163, 792 202,739 . ¢3e7 + 23.7 
Pintail 392, 588 288,470 268, 564 -31.6 - 6.9 
B-w. Teal. 473,874 446,151 - 555,851 $17.2 + 24,5 
G-w. Teal (early 
‘data incomparable) tr. 7,334 3,218 “ ~ 56,1 
Gadwall 88,753 84, 341 120, 093 435.3 + 42,3 
Baldpate 28,101 28,114 31,888  +13,4 + 13.4 
Shoveler 152, 365 92, 897 114, 973 =24.5 + 23.7 
Black Duck ~ no ; am 7 ke 
Total Puddlers 1,331,177 1,111,099 1,297,326 = - 2.5 + 16.7 
Redhead 40,497 29, 336 40, 372 - 0.3 + 37.6 
Canvasback | 30, 877 29, 336 31, 303  ' + 6.7 
“S$caup 40, 887 33, 003 77, 234 +88,8 +134,0 
Ringneck tr. tr. tr. = a 
Bufflehead tr. tr, tr. - - 
- Ruddy duck 21,355 18,335 «13,604 36.2 - 25,8 
' Total Divers 133, 616 110,010 162,513 $21.6 + 47.7 
frotal Ducks 1 , 464, 793 1,221,109 1,459, 839 - 0.3 + 19.5 
Coot (195121953) 945 931 533 --43.5 20a 
