
In 1962, forms were distributed late to. Kentucky coopera- 
tors. As a result, counts were made in April, whereas in 1963 
most counts were made in March. The large increase noted in 
the State (from 0.1 bird per route in 1962 to 2.0 in 1963) 
may have occurred because more migrant birds were counted in 
1963. Elimination of counts in Kentucky for the 2 years did 
not appreciably alter overall results since, without Kentucky, 
the weighted change was a 13-percent increase for the Western 
Region and a 4-percent increase for both regions combined 
(as compared with a 16-percent increase for the region and a 
6-percent continent-wide increase). 
Lack of adequate numbers of routes in most States and 
Provinces in the West makes it uncertain whether woodcock 
numbers increased significantly in the region. However, for 
the continent as a whole, and in view of the many factors 
affecting reliability of the survey, it seems doubtful that 
there was an important change in woodcock numbers from 1962 
to 1963. 
“Effects of freezing weather in Louisiana 
For the second consecutive winter there was a prolonged 
period of subnormal temperatures in Louisiana during January 
and February 1963. Freezing temperatures prompted concern 
over survival of wintering birds since they have difficulty 
feeding when the ground is frozen, and since Louisiana is 
their principal wintering ground. 
Biologists of the Louisiana Wild Life and Fisheries Com- 
mission obtained weights from 17 birds shot in a 2- to 3-day 
period of subfreezing temperatures in January 1963. The 
average weight of these birds was about 10 percent below the 
weight considered normal for that time of year. Although the 
sample size was small, the amount of weight loss seems reason- 
able because weights of 187 birds shot during a more prolonged 
subfreezing period in January 1962 averaged 14 percent below 
normal. Previous studies have indicated woodcock can survive 
a weight loss of at least 25 percent. Therefore, it is 
unlikely that freezing weather caused severe losses of birds. 
Results of the 1963 singing-ground counts also did not indi- 
cate important loss of birds during the winter. 
=Se 
