38 
least, the size of the fall flights was not 
markedly different. When this 'no change"! 
status is viewed in the light of the major 
decrease in the fall flight, which occurred 
in 1958 and 1959, it is significant that the 
mallard breeding population showed a 
marked reduction again this year in the 
Mississippi Flyway compared with 1959. 
Surveys of breeding areas important to 
the Flyway during May and June revealed 
a small decrease in overall breeding popu- 
lation. Major decreases were recorded in 
southern Saskatchewan and southern Mani- 
toba. Moderate decreases were recorded 
in southern Alberta and in the Dakotas. A 
small increase was recorded in Alaska 
and a major increase in northern Alberta 
and the western part of the Northwest 
Territories. These increases, however, 
were not sufficient to offset decreases 
elsewhere. 
Weather and habitat conditions in the 
major areas supplying the Flyway were 
generally very poor. Drought conditions 
more severe than in 1959 were general 
throughout the southern parts of Alberta, 
Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, and in the 
Dakotas and western Minnesota. During 
July 1961, only 911,000 water areas were 
recorded in this region as compared with 
2,432,000 last year. In July 1959, 1,551,000 
areas were recorded in this region, which 
illustrates the comparative severity of 
drought conditions in1961. When the 911,000 
ponds estimated to be present this year 
are compared with approximately 5.5 million 
recorded in July 1955, the extent to which 
drought has reduced available breeding 
habitat becomes obvious. In northern breed- 
ing areas important to the Flyway freezing 
conditions continued well into May, causing 
a late spring throughout the northern parts 
of the prairie Provinces, in the Northwest 
Territories, and eastern Alaska. This late 
cold weather was followed by a rapid 
rise in temperature in mid-May. The heavy 
snowpack and rapid change from freezing 
conditions to high temperatures caused 
flooding and nest destruction in the Mac- 
kenzie River drainage in the western part 
of the Northwest Territories and innorthern 
Alberta. The highest water levels since 
1936 were recorded on the Mackenzie River 
Delta. Only in western Alaska from Bristol 
Bay north along the Bering Sea was the 
season early and habitat conditions good. 
Production surveys during July have 
reflected the generally adverse weather 
and habitat conditions. Throughout the pot- 
hole breeding range in southern Alberta, 
southern Saskatchewan, southern Manitoba, 
the Dakatos, and western Minnesota, pro- 
duction is expected to be very poor this 
year. Production surveys in northern 
Alberta and the Northwest Territories have 
recorded 50 percent fewer broods despite 
the marked increase this year in the 
number of adult birds. In Alaska it is 
expected that production will equal that of 
last year or be somewhat better. In the 
northern portions of Saskatchewan and 
Manitoba, and in Ontario, production is 
expected to be moderately improved over 
last year's. 
FLIGHT FORECAST 
DUCKS 
When breeding population and production 
data are combined for all areas in the 
Mississippi Flyway, the minor improve- 
ments are not expected to balance the 
major declines. Therefore, a major decline 
in the fall flight of ducks in 1961 as com- 
pared with 1960 is expected. 
Since production is expected to be less 
than during the drought year of 1959, and 
since the breeding population is consider- 
ably smaller than it was in 1959, it is 
expected that the flight will be considerably 
smaller this fall than it was in 1959. 
GEESE 
The status of the goose populations inthe 
Mississippi Flyway is quite favorable. The 
January survey indicated a major increase 
in 1961 as compared with 1960 and recorded 
the highest population of geese present in 
the Flyway during the past decade. Amajor 
increase was recorded for Canada geese 
(+34 percent). White-fronted geese doubled 
in population, although the numbers involved 
were relatively small. Amoderate increase 
was recorded for blue geese and a small 
decrease for snow geese. Since breeding- 
ground surveys are not conducted for geese, 
