Band Reporting Rates of Mallards in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley

Abstract

We captured 2,182 mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) in eastcentral Arkansas and marked 730 with standard bands, 728 with $10 reward bands, and 724 with «dummy» radio transmitters during November 1986-89 to estimate band reporting rates in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV). Assuming all transmitters were reported, reporting rates were 0.16 (SE=0.049) for standard bands and 0.34 (SE=0.081) for $10 reward bands. Interviews with hunters indicated that flock size distributions differed (P=0.03) between mallards wearing transmitters and those wearing bands (standard or reward)