Aerial brood counts were made over two breeding ground 
survey routes in both the western and central sandhills on July 26 and 
over portions of two routes in the eastern sandhills July 27. Data from 
these counts showed 0.44 broods per square mile in the eastern, 0.58 
broods per square mile in the central, and 1.86 broods per square mile 
in the western sandhills. No information enabling a comparison or the 
interpretation of these data are available. | 
An average of 6.8 ducklings were observed in the broods 
of all age classes, | 
Newly=-hatched broods were observed as late as July 27. 
This indicated the lateness of the 1957 nesting season. 
Conclusions 
Aerial surveys of the Nebraska sandhill waterfowl breed- 
ing population showed a significant increase in breeding ducks from 
1956 to 1957 and from the average of the three prior years in 1957. 
It is estimated that the fall flight from the State of Nebraska 
will be considerably larger than in 1956. 
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