Summertime Habitat Use and Movements of Hatching-Year Mourning Doves in Northern Alabama

Abstract

We studied habitat use and local movements of radio-tagged hatching-year (HY) mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) in northern Alabama from July to September 1987. Direct recoveries of 53 HY mourning doves banded from April to September 1986-87 complemented the telemetry data. Radio-tagged birds were located during 4 time blocks (3 diurnal, 1 nocturnal) during nonhunting and hunting seasons. Daily habitat use and movements of radio-tagged HY doves did not vary (P>0.05) between nonhunting and hunting seasons, sexes, or young (29-60 days) and old (90-131 days) age classes. On average, HY doves showed no preferences for specific habitats regardless of time of day or season. Diurnal habitat use patterns were related to the proximity of feeding habitats to perching habitats. Residential areas were frequently used at night for roosting, and 24-hour use of these habitats increased (P<0.05) during the hunting season, indicating their potential importance as refugia. Daily home ranges (x=217±19 [SE] ha) of radio-tagged HY doves were smaller (P<0.05) than total home ranges (956±118 ha), indicating that the daily use of space shifted in time. Hatching-year mourning doves quickly moved from less to more productive feeding areas. Most radio-tagged and banded HY doves reported as shot were harvested during the first week of the hunting season. Local HY populations appeared to be subjected to heavy gunning pressure that probably caused temporary but locally severe population reductions or «burn-outs»