Observations of Birds and Mammals in
Central British Columbia

INTRODUCTION

In the following pages are presented the results of a prelimi-
nary investigation of wildlife in Central British Columbia carried
out in the summer of 1944. The main purpose of the investigation was
to evaluate the migratory game bird resources of the region, and for
this reason the majority of the localities selected for inspection
were those containing lakes, marshes, or other water areas on which
waterfowl might be expected to nest, or to concentrate during migra-
tion. Thus, waterfowl were studied in some detail that included the
censusing of populations and the collecting and preserving of the
animals and plants representing their food potential. A secondary
objective was to assess the bird and mammal population generally,
so far as time and opportunity permitted. For this purpose bird
specimens were collected where it seemed desirable to establish a
record by more tangible evidence than that of observation, and the
trapping of small mammals was undertaken as an incidental activity.
The present paper deals with observations of wildlife and its en-
vironmental background in a number of localities from districts
adjacent to Quesnel in the south to districts adjacent to Prince
George, Smithers and Hazelton in the north and west. Because the
region is so vast and diversified; because each of many places
visited might profitably be the subject of an entire season's study,
these observations cannot readily be correlated. Neither at this
time is there sufficient information to provide a picture of the
various biotic areas represented within its boundaries. Nor is it
suggested that the annotated list of the birds is complete. It is
restricted to the species observed, or recorded on other satisfactory
evidence, in various localities of which the majority had not previous-
ly been visited by an ornithologist. Their positions are indicated
on the map (Fig. 1).

A study of bird populations may be undertaken with the probabil-
ity in mind that most of their constituent elements are likely to be
encountered within a given time, provided sufficient energy is
directed toward the attainment of that objective. The study of mam-
mal populations, on the other hand, cannot be entered into with any
such assurance. In connection with its larger members--game animals,
wolves and most of the fur-bearers--the element of chance largely
determines the opportunities for actual observation. Furthermore,
even granted the most favourable opportunities, the sum of one sum-
mer's observations would be insufficient to provide an adequate
picture Hence in addition to such information as may be obtained