
dominance in all strata and will be the most 
abundant duck in Alberta this year, as has 
been true since the early fifties. Before 
1953 the pintail was the leading duck in 
Alberta. 
PRODUCTION INDEXES 
Breeding waterfowl were successful only 
in areas where water quality ensured suita- 
ble habitat during the nesting and brooding 
season. 
Even though the habitat has become some- 
what more restricted, the brood index for 
1961 was 16 percent higher than for last 
year. As is to be expected, significant 
losses of 27 percent and 46 percent occurred 
in strata A andC, respectively. In stratum B 
a 50 percent increase over last year was 
recorded (table F-5, p. 107). 
With the extreme drought causing the 
water to recede rapidly from existing shore- 
lines, conditions for seeing broods may 
have been very favorable. Previous years 
have not presented this advantage to the 
same degree. For this reason, we feel that 
this breeding season is no more successful 
than that of 1960. As such, they both would 
rank as our years of lowest productivity. 
The late-nesting index was very low. 
Adult birds seemed to have deserted the 
survey area almost completely by the brood- 
ing season, and renesting appeared to be 
rare. The late-nesting index was 50 percent 
below 1960 and markedly below any year 
during the period 1953-1960 (table F-6, 
p. 108). - 
Coots were found only where water con- 
ditions were good to excellent. Hence, coot 
indexes were low compared with the years 
before the drought. Indexes for strata Aand 
C were very low; with good water conditions 
in the northern parklands, the indexes were 
relatively high. The 1961 coot index was 
54,000--49 percent below the 1957 index, a 
nondrought year, but 69 percent above last 
year's, a lowyear. Itappears that coots have 
made a partial recovery largely because of 
favorable conditions in the northern park-~ 
lands. 
CONCLUSIONS 
Due to decreases in breeding population, 
to a smaller number of water areas resulting 
from the drought, and to reductions in pro- 
13 
duction, it is estimated that the fall flight 
from southern Alberta will be smaller than 
last year's and will be the smallest since 
breeding-ground surveys were initiated. 
WASHINGTON 
Data supplied by Robert G. Jeffrey, 
Washington Department of Game 
WEATHER AND WATER CONDITIONS 
Water levels have been good in nearly all 
duck production areas of the State. Flooding 
probably caused some nest destruction in 
northeastern Washington and in western 
Washington along the Columbia River. 
Weather during the nesting and early brood 
season has been warm and favorable toa 
high production. 
BREEDING POPULATION AND 
PRODUCTION INDEXES 
Breeding pair counts and early brood 
work indicate that all areas of the State 
will show an increase in waterfowl produc- 
tion. Canada geese were up 7 percent. 
Mallards showed a moderate increase in 
most areas, and blue-winged and cinnamon 
teal increased greatly throughout the State. 
The coot breeding population in eastern 
Washington has more than doubled. The only 
major species to show a decline from 1960 
is the wood duck, which may be down about 
15 percent. Survey data are presented in 
table F-7 (p. 108). 
CONCLUSIONS 
It is estimated that there will be an 
increase in the fall flight of ducks as 
compared with 1960 but the flight of Canada 
geese will remain about the same. 
‘IDAHO 
Data supplied by Idaho Department 
of Fishand Game 
WEATHER AND WATER CONDITIONS 
The weather pattern for Idaho during the 
spring and early summer of 1961 was similar 
