WATERFOWL BREEDING GROUND SURVEY 
IN NORTHERN ALBERTA, THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, AND THE YUKON 
1952 
Robert H. Smith and Everett L. Sutton 
Introduction 
This report covers the fifth consecutive aerial survey of waterfowl 
populations in Northern Alberta, parts of the Northwest Territories and northern 
Yukon. It also marks our second appraisal of waterfowl production over the same 
areas on which population surveys were made. As the surveys have been conducted 
on approximately the same dates from year to year, over the same areas, and in 
the same manner, we feel that the figures obtained constitute a reliable index in 
population fluctuations of the areas sampled. 
The writers, accompanied by David A. Munro, began the population 
surveys on June 6, with flights over the Lake Claire-Athabaska marshes. This 
phase of the work was concluded on the Mackenzie Delta near Aklavik, Northwest 
Territories on June 21. Production surveys were begun by the writers on July 6; 
sampling the same areas as in the population surveys and were concluded on July 20. 
Following this an exploratory flight was made over Banks Island to check on the 
numbers and distribution of snow geese previously reported by Eskimos, after 
which the surveys were concluded at Coppermine, Northwest Territories, on 
July 31. 
Methods Used in Sampling and Areas Covered 
The techniques used in the surveys have not changed since they were begun 
in 1948. In the population surveys all waterfowl are recorded by species on 1/8-mile 
strips on each side of an aircraft flying at approximately 100 feet above the terrain 
on random transects over established sample areas. The production surveys are 
conducted similarly except that the strip is reduced to 1/16-mile and no attempt is 
made to separate the broods as to species. 
The accompanying map shows the routes flown and areas sampled. Banks 
Island was covered partially for the first time as was a portion of western Victoria 
Island. The latter area was rocky, rugged and practically destitute of waterfowl 
while Banks Island was quite rich by comparison. 
Unfortunately we were unable to make a complete survey of Banks Island, 
as fog lay in patches over some of the most important areas. However, judging 
from what we were able to cover it appeared that the island is relatively high and 
rolling on the south and east, and dips gradually to a low coastal plain on the west. 
Drainage is mostly to the west, the rivers and creeks following typically braided 
channels and occupy relatively broad valleys. 
The coastal plain on the west and adjacent stream valleys contain numerous 
shallow lakes and ponds which constitutes the principal waterfowl] habitat on the 
island. Ina relatively small section of this (all that we could cover due to weather) 
