comparable areas shows an ‘over-all in- 
crease of 10 percent. The abundance of late 
hatched broods observed during July surveys 
indicates an extremely late nesting season 
and considerably more improvement in duck 
production is anticipated than is evident at 
this time, Canada goose production showed 
a decrease of 27 percent from 1962. Table 
F-12 (p. 142) shows production trends for 
the years 1959-63 on comparabletrend areas. 
Number of broods classified and average 
brood size by species is presented in table 
F-13 (p. 142). 
Conclusions 
It is anticipated that the contribution from 
Nevada to the fallflight of ducks inthe Pacific 
Flyway will be the highest since 1959. 
Since the majority of Canada geese produced 
in this State remain as resident birds, the 
decrease in goose production this year should 
not affect other areas within the Flyway. 
UTAH 
Data supplied by Donald A, Smith 
Utah Department of Fish and Game 
Weather and Habitat Conditions 
The fall and winter period of 1962-63 was 
exceptionally dry in Utah. It appeared as 
though the relief received in the spring of 
1962 from several years of drought was 
temporary, and that once again there would 
be a depression phase of the water cycle. 
During February and March 1963, there was 
snow and rain to the extent that many reser- 
voirs which had been dried during the pre- 
ceding irrigation season were filled to ca- 
pacity and were spilling water into streams 
and other catchments. Cool weather and 
rains persisted into June and all waterfowl 
management areas, Federal refuges and most 
natural marshes were filled and maintained 
in excellent condition, 
The cool, wet cycle broke in mid-June, 
and conditions at this time (mid-July) are 
somewhat discouraging, It is not anticipated 
that water shortages now occurring will 
significantly influence production of ducks, 
but they will affect the fall migration through 
Utah if they persist, At this time, Farming- 
ton Bay Waterfowl Management Area in Davis 
24 
County, Utah, is in poorest condition, with 
daily losses of water inallunits., Other areas 
are expected to follow this trend unless 
some relief is forthcoming, 
Breeding Population Indexes 
Ducks were censused by both aerial and 
ground means in Utah, Some 108.6 square 
miles of breeding habitat were surveyed by 
aerial methods. Transects through habitat 
censused in this manner were established 
during earlier surveys and were traversed 
again in 1963 to obtain comparable breeding 
duck information. 
Aerial survey data indicated an increase 
of 13.9 breeding ducks a square mile in 1963 
from the previous year. The 1963 index was 
the highest recorded since 1956 and is 4,7 
breeding ducks a square mile above the 10- 
year average for the area covered (table E- 10, 
p. 116). The increase was general, being 
reflected in each of the various segments 
of the survey area; however, the most sig- 
nificant increase was noted in Davis County 
ela breeding ducks nearly doubled from 
1962, 
Ground counts of breeding ducks are made 
annually on waterfowl management areas. 
These data are recorded intable E-11(p. 117). 
The three areas censused for comparative 
purposes in northern Utah are: Ogden Bay, 
Farmington Bay, and the Public Shooting 
Grounds Waterfowl Management Areas; all 
areas showed significant increases inbreed- 
ing ducks, The 47 percent increase onOdgen 
Bay was greatest of the three areas and 
cinnamon tealand shovelers were responsible 
for much of this increase, Clear Lake Water- 
fowl Management Area in central Utah did 
not follow this trend, dropping 43 percent in 
numbers of breeding ducks from 1962. The 
decline on this area was fairly constant 
through all species, but was most noticeable 
in the 65 percent drop in redheads. 
Species composition information for the 
State is broken down into two units: northern 
and southern Utah. This distinction is made 
because of habitat differences between the 
two sections and the consequent variance in 
species of breeding populations. It can be 
noted in table E- 12 (p. 117) that redheads were 
down from 1962 in both units, and gadwall 
and shoveler increased, Other species varied 
up and down from one section of the State 
to the other. 
