ABSTRACT. Aerial surveys of waterfowl were conducted in subarctic Québec in 1989 and 1990 on randomly selected 100 km2 plots. We used logistic regression for modelling relationships between the presence of waterfowl broods and habitat characteristics. For each species, models of habitat use were generated with one data set and tested with two others. We also compared the frequency distributions of broods of each species in different habitat types. Correct-classification rates of models varied between 0.53 and 0.77. Sensitivity of models generally increased when applied to validation data sets. Models showed that green-winged teals (Anas crecca) avoided lakes> 501 ha and used vegetated lakes, ponds and fens or bogs more than predicted by their availability. Black scoters (Melanitta nigra) and surf scoters (M. perspicillata) were found mostly on small lakes (< 10 ha) and medium lakes (10 –100 ha). Black scoters were associated with the presence of ponds and lakes with sedge and grass, whereas surf scoters were not. The presence of scaup (Aythia spp.) broods was associated with the presence of vegetation. Green-winged teals were observed more often on bogs than were either scoters or scaups. Black scoters were observed more often on ponds and less often on medium-sized lakes than surf scoters and scaups. The latter differed in their use of lakes < 10 ha: surf scoters, like black scoters, mostly used unvegetated lakes, while scaups and green-winged teals mostly used vegetated lakes. The accuracy and precision of logistic models may be enhanced by additional habitat variables, careful selection of sample-cell size and further investigation of the breeding biology of the surveyed species. Key words: habitat, model, logistic regression, northern Québec, black scoter, surf scoter, green-winged teal, scaup, brood

In 1998 I was presented with an opportunity to fulfil a long-time dream: to work in the Arctic. This opportunity came in the form of a job offer from the Gwich’in Renew-able Resource Board (GRRB) in Inuvik, Northwest Terri-

Brood amalgamation is frequent within the Tribe Mergini. We quantified amalgamation in the Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata) blj a combination of observations on marked and unmarked broods at Lake Malbaie, Quebec. Brood amalgamation was frequent, especialllj when brood densitlj was high. Broods, amalgamated or not, were alwaljs tended blj a single female. Lone females sometimes associated with broods for short periods of time, but occasionalllj threatened and attacked ljoung. Most often. lone females were chased off blj the attending female. Females with ljoung did not trlj to attract other ljoung and were quite aggressive towards strange ljoung. No behaviour suggesting anlj voluntarlj abandonment of ljoung blj females was observed. Brood amalgamation in this population apparentllj occurred accidentalllj, presumabllj favoured blj crowding, a variable level of aggressiveness between females and apparentllj weak female-ljoung bonds. A review of the literature on brood amalgamation in the tribe Mergini supports these findings.