97 
Breeding Population Trends 
On the 58 habitats examined a total of 1, 358 individual waterfowl, 
including young, were observed. Of the 19 species of waterfowl using these 
habitats, only 16 species were considered to be breeders. 
Table I - List of Breeding Waterfowl Observed 

Number Observed Numerical Rank 
Species 1952 1952 1951 
Mallard 111 5 5 
Black duck 356 1 2 
Baldpate 10 11 ll 
Pintail 2 15 11 
Green-winged teal 2 15 13 
Blue -winged teal 137 3 1 
Shoveler 5 14 12 
Wood duck 79 6 8 
Ring-necked duck 301 2 7 
Lesser scaup 43 9 6 
Common goldeneye 112 4 pend 
Bufflehead 10 11 13 
Ruddy duck 8 13 9 
Hooded merganser 34 10 10 
Common merganser 65 8 7 
Coot 66 7 4 
Table I shows that there was very little change in the relative numbers, 
indicated by numerical rank, of the various species of breeding wacerfowl in 
southern Ontario in 1952 as compared to 1951. The ring-necked duck showed a 
considerable increase in numbers and in rank (this can be explained by the fact 
that this year the survey conducted by Mr. Lumsden included for the first time 
90 percent of the best known breeding grounds of this species in Ontario.) There 
is no doubt that the ring-necked duck is increasing in numbers in Ontario, as 
Mr. Lumsden's survey showed, but its elevation in status in the above table is 
largely due to the inclusion of the results of a survey not available during 1951. 
Comparable data, secured in 1951 and 1952 on 28 of the habitats examined 
by the author and on several examined by Lumsden, show that there has been little 
change in the breeding status of the waterfowl using these habitats during the two 
years. 
Of the species for which the following table shows comparative daia 
for 1951 and 1952, the black duck, hooded merganser and the common merganser 
had greater success in number of young per brood during 1952 than in 1951. 
Broods of wood duck and common goldeneye were smaller this year than in 1951. 
