116 
The recorded success of the coot nests under observation is considered 
to be highly questionable data and for that reason the success figures are suffixed 
with a question mark. The true success of coot nests is difficult to ascertain 
because of many factors, structure of the coot nest, the lack of any egg-shell 
remnants at the nest and a few characteristics of the species which make nesting 
study methods used for other waterfowl unsuccessful when applied to coots. 
Ground versus Aerial Observations of Waterfowl Populations on Areas l, 2, 3, 4, 5 
9, A AeA EE i A RR AS, PT DE ERE TE lS RSA OT A LA BS ge Re Yee SI CSS ba EN 
In order to census the various intensive study areas most efficiently from 
the air, they were laid out ina linear form. In May and again in July aerial flights 
were made over all five areas at a time which corresponded, within the space of a 
few hours, to the period when the ground counts were made. After the population 
and production surveys were completed and comparisons of the information so 
gathered were made, we found ourselves still doubtful as to the possibility of 
interpreting the results. 
After the data from intensive ground-air studies in the other Provinces are 
analyzed and improved sampling techniques are established for future investigations 
on this subject, we should be in a better position to establish the degree of error 
introduced by an aerial approach to population and production surveys. At the 
moment, with the data at hand from Alberta, this is not practical. 
Table 4 - Comparison of Ground and Aerial Observations of Waterfowl Breeding 
Populations on Areas l, 2, 3, 4 and 5 
DUCKS PER SQUARE MILE 

Vegetation Population Indicated Populations 
Area Type Strata Ground Aerial Ground* Aerial* 
l Mixed B 15.0 10,5 21.0 15.7 
Parklands 8 Bok EL Be ess. 
2 Mixed B 37.7 16.5 54.8 25.4 
Parklands isssia iwssii 
3 Parklands B 55.7 32.3 78.4 41.1 
4 Mixed 
Prairie A 87.0 43.7 137.2 77.1 
5 Short-grass 
Prairie A 64.7 39.0 87.6 61.4 
Average 48,4 26.3 70.2 41.8 
* Indicated population obtained by considering one female as present 
for each lone male observed in the breeding population. 
