ATLANTIC FLYWAY 
BREEDING GROUND SURVEYS 
FASTERN CANADA (QUEBEC, LABRADOR, MARITIMES) 
Weather and Water Conditions - The winter was mild throughout the 
region with relatively little snow. Temperatures during March and April were 
somewhat above normal which caused an early movement of birds northward, 
During May and June the temperatures were lower than last year, but were 
close to average for the period, Precipitation varied considerably within the 
region. In the western pprtion of the Maritimes, southern Quebec, and along 
the coast of Labrador, precipitation was above normal, Elsewhere, rainfall 
was from average to below average, During July it was warm and dry in the 
Maritimes and wet and cool in Quebec and Labrador, 
Breeding Population Indices - Increase breeding populations were general 
except for the Maritime Region. All areas combined in eastern Canada showed 
an. increase in ducks of 66 percent, but only a 27 percent increase when scoter, 
eider, and merganser were excluded, The important black duck and scaup 
increased 54 percent and 162 percent respectively, whereas the goldeneye 
decreased 11 percent. A comparison of 1953 with 1952 findings is shown 
below: 
Index to Total Breeding Ducks 

Species ; 1952 . 1953 Percent Change 
Black duck 146, 259 225, 845 + 54 
Scaup | 29,782 78,129 +162 
Goldeneye 96, 687 86,408 ~ Il 
Unidentified 105,929 90, 289 - 15 
Sub-Total 7 378, 657 480, 671 + 27 
Scoter, Eider and 
Merganser 287,192 623,056 +117 
Grand Total — 665, 849 1,103,727 + 66 
Canada Geese 42,438 119, 395 +181 
Production Index - Brood surveys were conducted for the first time this year 
in Quebec and Labrador so there is no data available from last year with which 
to make comparisons, The distribution of the broods observed, however, would 
lead one to believe that the success of the early nesters was low in some areas, 
For example, very few broods were seen in eastern Labrador, an area where 
the May transects had revealed a good breeding population, This was particularly 
true with the Canada geese, The broods which were seen were found in a few 
scattered localities, while scattered pairs and groups of four, six or eight birds 
without broods were common in the remainder of the area, There was no 
evidence of renesting underway, since no single birds were seen and most of the 
grouped birds appeared to be moulting. An index for Quebec and Labrador of 
64,435 duck broods and 15,539 goose broods was calculated. The average size 
of all duck broods was 5.4 ducklings while the average for those broods 
definitely identified as black duck was 6,2, The goose broods: seen ~ averaged 
2.6 goslings. In the Maritimes, the brood surveys were run two weeks later 
ce 
