Comparison of the May 1961 water index 
with that of 1960 and with the average for 
the period 1948-60 is presented in table 
D-6 (p. 78).! 
BREEDING POPULATION INDEXES 
The 1961 breeding waterfowl index was 
10 percent above the 1960 index and 5 per- 
cent below the 1948-60 average index. The 
slight increase recorded in the 1961 breed- 
ing waterfowl index may be misleading, 
since the ground survey may have been 
conducted a week early (some flocks of 
blue-winged teal and gadwall were noted 
during the survey). 
The species indexes for 1961 indicated 
that blue-winged teal, gadwall, widgeon, 
and green-winged teal experienced a large 
increase over the 1960 indexes, while 
pintail and ruddy duck showed large de- 
creases (table E-21, p. 95). 
An indication of the progress of nesting 
activities can be obtained by examining the 
ratio of lone drakes in paired drakes. The 
lone drake to paired drake ratios obtained 
in 1961 (low) would suggest that the nesting 
season was later than that of recent years 
and/or that the early nesting attempts of 
pintail and mallard were not very success- 
ful. The lone drake to paired drake ratios 
for several species for 1956 through 1961 
are presented in table E-22. 
™, 
PRODUCTION INDEXES 
The 1961 mid-July brood index (broods 
per square mile) of 2.26 represented the 
highest index obtained since the survey was 
started. However, the conditions under 
which the 1961 brood index was obtained 
were so different from those of recent 
years that the data are not directly com- 
parable. Most of the water areas remaining 
by mid-July were of the large, open-type 
areas with wide, bare, mud flats surround- 
ing the water. Also, the duck broods were 
concentrated on the relatively few water 
areas remaining by mid-July. The resulting 
concentration of broods and the bare mud 
flats affected the behavior of certain species 
in a manner that made them more easily 
observed than they normally are. 
For these reasons, it is believed that a 
greater percentage of the broods were 
observed in 1961 than at any time since 
this survey was started. The 1961 brood 
23 
index was more ameasure of the percentage 
of broods present that were observed than it 
was of the change of duck production. The 
brood index on 92.1 square miles covered 
by ground surveys was 2.26 broods per 
square mile. Species and age-class com- 
position of the broods observed are pre- 
sented in tables F-22 and F-23 (p. 117). 
Lacking comparable brood data, it is 
judged that duck production in North Dakota 
in 1961 will be similar to, or less, than 
that experienced in 1959. 
CONCLUSIONS 
The fall flight of ducks from North Dakota 
in 1961 is expected tobe considerably below 
that of 1960 and no better than that experi- 
enced in 1959. 
SOUTH DAKOTA 
Data supplied by Maurice E. 
Anderson, South Dakota 
Department of Game, 
Fish and Parks 
WEATHER AND HABITAT CONDITIONS 
Waterfowl habitat and water conditions 
in South Dakota have not continued the 
favorable trends exhibited in 1960. State- 
wide, habitat conditions decreased in quan- 
tity and quality. The southeastern part of 
the State had ample moisture to maintain 
good habitat for breeding ducks; north- 
eastern South Dakota showed some reduc- 
tion in quality of breeding habitat as well 
as quantity of breeding ducks. The range 
country west of the Missouri River gen- 
erally had little spring runoff in 1961. 
Although the number of water areas did not 
drastically change, the quality of those 
remaining was considerably reduced. 
In early June, subsequent to establish- 
ment of breeding residence by most duck 
species, the entire State received heavy 
rains and habitat conditions for resident 
breeding ducks were improved. The re- 
mainder of June and the month of July 
were characterized by scattered rains that 
had only moderate value for maintaining 
Statewide water conditions. 
The May 1961 pond index of 1.74 per 
square mile is 53 percent less than in 1960 
and 59 percent less than the ll-year 
