MISSOURI 
Breeding Population and Production Data 
Tables 1 and 2 show nesting efforts and trends of wood ducks, mat larile| 
and blue-wing teal since 1953. Conservation agents, Federal-Aid biologists, State 
area managers, and Federal refuge supervisors censused 6,871 acres of marsh and 
613 miles of stream in the 1958 survey. We had a 16 percent increase in acres 
of marsh censused over 1957 but due to high water in many southern streams. there 
was a 20 percent drop in miles of stream surveyed. 
Wood duck nesting efforts per square mile of lake and marsh (tente 2) 
increased by 55 percent over the 1957 figure. The chart shows a jump from 3.8 
attempts per square mile to 5.9. 
This increase is partially due to the high rate of production on a 
few of our State managed areas. Duck Creek Public Shooting Area in southeast 
Missouri reported a 41 percent usage on 81 wood duck boxes. During 1957 there 
was a 37-1/2 percent usage on 56 boxes. Fourteen broods were reported observed 
on the Duck Creek area during the 1958 survey. 
The Trimble Wildlife Area, located in Northwest Missouri, also 
reported an increase in wood duck usage. Seven broods were reported using 
150 acres of marsh with one brood containing 22 young. 
Even though we had a few area that reported high productivity, 
nesting success over most of the State remained at the 1957 level. 
Wood duck nesting success on the stream of the State took a slight 
increase. The six year low on stream surveys occurred in 1956 when nesting 
attempts dropped to .10 per mile of stream. 1957 shows a very slight increase. 
to .13 with 1958 still increasing to .15 (Table 2). 
Average numbers of ducklings in Class I age group incrcased by 
28 percent or a 2 ug. per brood average. Class II age group remained 
approximately the same as in 1957. The Class III group increased by 23 ay" 
Mallard nesting efforts per square mile of marsh and lake have | ue 
fluctuated from 2.5 in 1955 to 6.5 in 1957. This year there was a decrease. - 
in nesting efforts of mallards to 3.0 per square mile. Although fewer lone 
drakes, lone hens and pairs were observed in 1958, we did have a slight 
increase in mallard broods observed. 
Conclusions 
It is estimated that the fall flight of wood duck from Missouri 
will be about the same as 1957 but there will be a decrease in the flight of 
mallard and blue-winged teal. 
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