17 
Success of the Season 
The results of the production survey, expressed in broods per Square mile, 
are given in the following table. 
Table XIV - Broods per Square Mile Observed on the Areas Covered 
a a a 
DUCKS SWAN GEESE 
: 1951 1952 1951 1952 1951 1952 
a a ee Oe ee Le eg 
Lake Claire - Athabaska Delta 0.5 2.07 = 2 = “ 
Hay Lakes 0.7 3.53 - - » 5 
Slave River Parklands 0.2 1.0 - x = 05 
Pre-Cambrian 07 a3 - - a > 
Lac La Martre 0.4 1.0 - - 5 0.3 
Fort Rae - Gros Cap 0.3 1.0 - - : j 
Wooded Delta 1.1 2.0 - a = A 
Treeless Delta 0,0 0.4 0.1 0.2 - .07 
Upland Tundra 14 15 0.3 0.3 - 05 
Coastal Tundra 0.0 0.9 0.8 0.5 - a 
Transition Zone 1s . 66 13 07 03 - 
Old Crow Flats 1.1 73 .07 - .07 - 
The above figures indicate an increase.in duck production in all areas 
except Old Crow, an over-all increase of 133 percent. We feel, however, that the 
indicated increase is a manifestation of the early season, rather than an actual 
increase of such magnitude. The season, with minor exceptions, was favorable 
as far as weather was concerned. Consequently the hatch was at least earlier, 
and possibly greater. 
Snow goose and brant production on the outer deltas of the Mackenzie and 
Anderson Rivers was a complete failure. Possibly storm tides washed out the 
nests, although a storm of such magnitude was not reported. In any event the 
nesting and brooding areas were practically abandoned at the time of our brood 
survey in July. Conversely, the hatch of snow geese on Banks Island appeared to 
be good, but then the Banks Island area would not be affected by storm tides. 
Goose production as recorded by transects on sample areas was considerably 
greater than in 1951, as goose broods were recorded from areas where they had 
not been seen previously. 
Summary 
All areas considered together, the breeding population of ducks decreased 
slightly - 8 percent from 1951. Broken down by species, increases were as 
follows: pintail, 21 percent; shoveler, 149 percent; blue-winged teal, 118 percent; 
canvasback, 55 percent; ruddy duck, 183 percent; bufflehead, 20 percent; King 
eider, 48 percent. The following species decreased: baldpate, 3 percent; 
gadwall, 23 percent; green-winged teal, 34 percent; scaup, 8 percent; redhead, 
26 percent; goldeneye, 7 percent; old squaw, 9 percent; scoters, 20 percent. 
There was no appreciable change in mallards. It should be pointed out that we 
