214 
Success of the Season 
Table III - Sandhill Brood Counts* 


Broods Broods Per Pairs Broods Per 
Sq. mile Pair ** 
Western sandhills 82 2.5 671 .12 
Eastern sandhills 84 8.6 112 .75 
Over-all sandhills (1948) 1.3 | 
(1949) 3.4 
(1950) 1.8 
(1951) 2.2 
166 3.85 783 er 
Percent Change + 76 over average 
+ 75 over 195] 
* Counts made July 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14, 1952 
** Actual pairs plus territorial drakes 
The brood per pair figure for 1951 was .12 for the western sandhills or the 
Same as found this season. This figure is not available for the eastern area. 
A total of 147 different broods were identified on the western routes, This 
would increase the brood per pair figure to .22 for all coverages or near double 
that of the above count, 
A factor affecting the brood count is the dry-up. This would force broods 
into concentration points from the rather abundant water areas shown at the time 
of the breeding pair counts thereby showing as increased production per breeding 
unit. It is believed that the water available at the time of the brooding season was 
comparable to that of other years and that the indicated increase in production was 
actual, within the limits of the sample method. 
Table IV gives the species breakdown of all the 166 broods observed on the 
transects during the count. The average brood size is seven plus ducklings which 
compares with the figures from all other study years. The 1951 average of 6.5 
reflects the later phenology of that season in that less of the blue-winged teal, 
commonly larger than the mallard and pintail broods of slightly earlier hatches, 
were present, 
The blue -winged teal made up 37 percent of the breeding population and 
61 percent of the broods. This, when compared to the 1951 figures of 33 percent 
and 42 percent, respectively, shows the season advancement of 1952 also. Species 
composition varies greatly from the western areas to the eastern areas, This is 
most pronounced in the blue-winged teal with 31 percent of the western breeders 
and 74 percent of the eastern group. Other species are more nearly represented 
by the brood breakdown. 
