
257 
An early check on one of our most productive streams indicated that wood 
duck broods were coming off about 2 weeks later than usual this year. The season's 
first wood duck brood seen in Indiana was observed on the east fork of the White 
River by William B. Barnes on May 2, 1954, and was judged to be about 3 days old. 
Nine stream transects were censused between May 3l and June 19, 1954. Although 
weather prevented the successful completion of control river floats, it is believed 
the survey was conducted during the period when the maximum number of broods 
could be observed. Stream transects were scattered throughout the State and 
involved a total of 143 linear miles (Figure 1). 
Production on the stream transects peaked in 1952 at 103 wood duck broods, 
dropped to 91 wood duck broods in 1953, and to 89 wood duck broods in 1954. This 
amounted to an 11.7 percent drop in 1953 and an additional 2.2 percent drop in 1954. 
In addition to the numberof wood duck broods tabulated in Table 1, one 
brood of hooded mergansers was observed on the Salt Creek transect, one brood of 
Canada geese on the White River transect, and one brood of black ducks on the 
Elkhart River transect. 
Using 1950 as the first year of comparable data in Indiana, 59.2 wood duck 
broods were observed per 100 miles of stream transects. The number increased to 
64.2 in 1951, and 72.3 in 1952, but dropped to 63.6 in 1953, and 62.2 in 1954 
(Figure 2). Meanwhile, the average number of young wood duck per brood was 7.1 
for 1951 and 1952, increased to 8.8 in 1953, and dropped back to 8.3 in 1954 (Figure 
3). As compared with 1953, the drop in broods and decrease in number of young 
per brood resulted in a decrease in total production of 44 young per 100 miles or 
7.9 percent. 
Summary 
Open water started to reappear during April in potholes and marshes that 
had been dry for months. A check of 17 study areas in late June revealed that 29 
percent were stilldry. Thirty-five percent of these areas were dry during the 
same period in 1953. 
Wood duck broods appeared on the streams of southern Indiana about two 
weeks later than usual. 
Nine stream transects involving 143 miles were censused for production 
trends. In 1953, 91 wood duck broods were observed, while 89 were seen this 
year. The average number of young per brood also dropped from 8.8 in 1953 to 
8.3 in 1954, The total effect amounted to a 7.9 percent decrease in number of 
young birds observed. These same transects indicated an 11.7 percent decrease 
in the number of wood duck broods produced in 1953 as compared with 1952. 
No summer banding was attempted this year. 
