MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY 
MICHIGAN 
Weather and Water Conditions: = Water conditions were favorable in 
1953, the number of water areas along the transects increasing 26 percent 
over 1952. Weather conditions were also favorable with May and June temperatures 
being somewhat above normal, Some severe weather in the form of thunderstorms 
and high winds occurred which caused marked fluctuations in the water levels 
of Great Lakes marshes, However, the net effect of these pheonomena on 
production was not considered seriouse : 
Breeding Population Indices: = Changes in breeding populations were determined 
by two methods, aerial transects and boat surveys on sample check areas. The 
boat surveys revealed an increase of about 6&0 percent in the number of birds 
observed per mile of travel (7.13 to 11e1)as compared to last year, The 
aerial surveys also revealed a large increase in breeding birds (73 percent), 
the details of which arepresented in the following table: 
Breeding Waterfowl Population Index ~ Lower Peninsula 

Calculated Populati Ind 
Nee sae nite? in Lower Peninsula oe a 
Stratum 1952 1953 1952... «1953 | 
1 ob 7 1.18 7,634 19,006 
2 2673 60. 9,254 8,250 
3 7 2020 020 2h5 2,450 
Total 17,133 29 , 706 
Percent change + 73 
Breeding Waterfowl Species Composition » Lower Peninsula 
Species Percent 
"Mallard 24.8 
Black Duck 2.6 
Blue-winged Teal 21.3 
Ringneck 93 
Wood Duck 607 
Merganser 1.9 
Unidentified _ 
Total — 100.0 
Production Indices: «- Brood surveys were also conducted by boat and by plane 
over the same routes. Boat surveys revealed a decrease in broods per lineal 
mile from 70 to . 51 (27 percent). Although this seems to be a fair reduction, 
the 1953 level is still above the average for the past five years, Further, 
the average brood size observed in 1953 is the highest in five years of record, 
The aerial brood surveys, on the other hand, revealed a sizable increase 
in the number of broods in the Lower Peninsula, Brood densities per square mile 
increased fran e073 to .162, The calculated brood index for the Lower Peninsula 
for the past two years is 1,176 and 2,609, and increase of 122 percent. 
Conclusions; = The fall flight from Miehi gan will be considerably larger than 
in 1952. | 
