
Animal species 
The following species of ducks are known to breed on the areas: 
Abundant: 
Blue-winged teal 
Gadwall 
Mallard 
Pintail 
Ruddy duck 
Common: 
Shoveler 
Redhead 
Lesser scaup 
Canvasback 
Rare: 
Baldpate 
Green-winged teal 
Cinnamon teal 
Other water birds breeding on the area are horned grebes, pied-billed 
grebes, and an abundance of coots. Ome pair of Canada geese attempted un- 
successfully to nest on an island in one of the study-area potholes in 1952, 
and a pair was successful in bringing off a brood in the same pothole in 
1953+ 
Numerous shorebirds and other water birds are found in and around the 
potholes, while most of the prairie species are found on the uplands. One 
bird of particular importance to ducks was the crow, which occasionally 
nested in woodlots and did considerable damage to duck nests. 
The mammals of greatest importance to waterfowl are the muskrat, found 
in abundance in the potholes and serving to some extent to open up the vegeta- 
tion, and the skunk, which is common in the area and is the most serious 
predator on duck nests. The other prairie mammals found in the region have 
only a minor influence on the duck population. 
Land use 
Farming in this area is based on the cultivation of small grains (wheat, 
flax, barley, and oats). Sixty-three percent of the study area is devoted 
to this use. Twenty-two percent of the land is less intensively used, being 
devoted to pasture and hay, while a very small amount is in planted woodlot . 
(0.7 percent of the total area). The remaining 15 percent is wetland, of 
which a considerable amount furnishes hay, forage, and crops, particularly 
in dry years. During the drought years, according to local residents, the 
most productive land on the area was what is now considered wetland. These 
wet areas are now being drained with the consequent loss of this reserve 
should another drought occur. 
The present trend is toward an increase in cultivation, although the 
steepness of many slopes and the deterioration of much of the land indicates 
that the trend should be toward less cultivation and more use of grass. 
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