Aluminum Leg Bands Research Articles

Retention of Riveted Aluminum Leg Bands by Wild Turkeys

Abstract In order for mark–recapture models to provide unbiased estimates of population parameters, it is critical that uniquely identifying tags or marks are not lost. We double-banded male and female wild turkeys with aluminum rivet bands and estimated the probability that a bird would be recovered with both bands <1–225 wk since banding (mean = 51.2 wk, SD = 44.0). We found that 100% of females (n = 37) were recovered with both bands. For males, we recovered 6 of 188 turkeys missing a rivet band for a retention probability of 0.984 (95% CI = 0.96–0.99). If male turkeys are double-banded with rivet bands the probability of recovering a turkey without any marks is <0.001. We failed to detect a change in band retention over time or differences between adults and juveniles. Given the low cost and high retention rates of rivet aluminum bands, we believe they are an effective marking technique for wild turkeys and, for most studies, will minimize any concern about the assumption that marks are not lost.

Survival of female mallards along the Vermont–Quebec border region

ABSTRACTUnderstanding effects of location and timing of harvest seasons on mortality of ducks and geese from hunting is important in forming regulations that sustain viable waterfowl populations throughout their range. During 1990 and 1991 we alternately marked 80 hatching year (HY), female mallards along the Vermont–Quebec border; half with radio‐transmitters and bands and half with only aluminum leg bands. We monitored radio‐marked ducks daily and recorded survival status weekly for 15 weeks from August until December each year. Mallard mortalities began 25 September when the hunting season opened in the Province of Quebec, Canada. Overall survival of mallards at week 10 did not differ between years (0.51 in 1990 vs. 0.43 in 1991) or differ from that of HY American black ducks (0.44 females, 0.42 males) based on proportional hazard analysis in a Bayesian framework. The mortality rates for mallards from hunting (0.47) and causes unrelated to hunting (0.06) were similar between years and to those rates for HY black ducks at that same site. Hunter harvest accounted for most of the mortality recorded during this study and illegal feeding (i.e., baiting) at sites just before and during the hunting season was observed. Females with lower body condition index had greater mortality rates; a 1‐standard‐deviation increase in condition index would reduce mortality hazard by about 29%. Management options that may increase mallard survival in the area include lowering daily bag limit in Quebec and suspending split hunting seasons in Vermont that increase harvest, delaying opening date of hunting in Quebec to allow for increased body condition before hunting season opens, and improving enforcement of baiting restrictions. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Retention of butt‐end aluminum leg bands by wild turkeys

AbstractWe examined retention of butt‐end aluminum leg bands on Rio Grande wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo intermedia) captured in Texas and Kansas, USA, 2000–2009. We examined 187 recaptured or harvested radiotagged wild turkeys to determine band retention and modeled band retention with Program MARK. We did not detect differences in band retention among age and gender classes or that band retention probability was time dependent. We estimated monthly probability of band retention was 0.990 (SE = 0.002). Band retention probability was 0.971 (SE = 0.006) at 3 months post‐banding and 0.864 (SE = 0.028) at 15 months post‐banding. Butt‐end aluminum leg band retention was not 100% for wild turkeys marked during our work; however, our band retention rates were 3.7–5.7 times greater than described previously. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.

Temporal Patterns of Apparent Leg Band Retention in North American Geese

ABSTRACT An important assumption of mark—recapture studies is that individuals retain their marks, which has not been assessed for goose reward bands. We estimated aluminum leg band retention probabilities and modeled how band retention varied with band type (standard vs. reward band), band age (1–40 months), and goose characteristics (species and size class) for Canada (Branta canadensis), cackling (Branta hutchinsii), snow (Chen caerulescens), and Ross's (Chen rossii) geese that field coordinators double‐leg banded during a North American goose reward band study (N = 40,999 individuals from 15 populations). We conditioned all models in this analysis on geese that were encountered with ≥1 leg band still attached (n = 5,747 dead recoveries and live recaptures). Retention probabilities for standard aluminum leg bands were high ( = 0.9995, SE < 0.001) and constant over 1–40 months. In contrast, apparent retention probabilities for reward bands demonstrated an interactive relationship between 5 size and species classes (small cackling, medium Canada, large Canada, snow, and Ross's geese). In addition, apparent retention probabilities for each of the 5 classes varied quadratically with time, being lower immediately after banding and at older age classes. The differential retention probabilities among band type (reward vs. standard) that we observed suggests that 1) models estimating reporting probability should incorporate differential band loss if it is nontrivial, 2) goose managers should consider the costs and benefits of double‐banding geese on an operational basis, and 3) the United States Geological Survey Bird Banding Lab should modify protocols for receiving recovery data.

Passive Integrated Transponders and Patagial Tag Markers for Northern Bobwhite Chicks

Brood survival is among the least understood aspects of the population ecology of northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus). Individual-based brood survival estimators require uniquely marked chicks; however, no method has been developed to mark them. We evaluated efficacy of using patagial wing bands and passive integrated transponders (PITs) to mark 1-day-old captive northern bobwhite chicks. We compared survival, weekly mass gain, and mark retention among groups of chicks marked with patagial wing bands PITs. and plastic and aluminum leg bands (control; n = 50/treatment We detected no differences among marking methods in growth (P = 0.558) or survival to 12 weeks posthatch (P > 0.050) Of those birds that survived to 12 weeks posthatch 2 birds (approx 5%) from eacl of the PIT and patagial band groups lost their marks. Tag destruction during simulated harvest did not differ between PIT-tagged and wing-banded groups (P = 0.126). In this captive experiment, both techniques had minimal effects on measured parameters and thus may be useful field-marking techniques. Because of our results, lower cost, and external visibility of patagial markers, we advocate use of patagial markers to tag bobwhite chicks for studies of chick survival, harvest rate, and site fidelity.

Direct Recovery Rates of Lesser Scaup Banded in Northwest Minnesota: Sources of Heterogeneity

Heterogeneity in direct recovery rates is an important area of study because deductions about survival rates and hunting mortality are made from recovery data. We tested the hypothesis of condition bias in hunter-killed lesser scaup (Aythija affinis) and tested differences among direct recovery rates (f= proportion of birds banded that are killed by a hunter ≤3 months after release and reported) of scaup staging on Thief Lake Wildlife Management Area (TLWMA) and Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in northwestern Minnesota Scaup were trapped, held for 24 hr, weighed, banded with standard aluminum leg bands, and released during 4 October-8 November 1983-86 at TLWMA, and 1984-86 at ANWR. During 1984-86 e also sprayed areas of white plumage with fluorescent paint, colorcoded by age and location. Recovery data obtained from cooperative hunters and the U.S. Geological Survey Bird Banding Laboratory were subjectec to 3 sets of analyses. In an analysis of variance (ANOVA), after adjusting for sex, age, year, location of capture, and date of capture body mass at capture of recovered birds was lower, on average, than those not recovered Logistic regression mdicated (1) probability of recovering a bird decreased with increasing body mass; (2) within years, probability of recovery increased with date of first capture; (3) scaup at TLWMA were recovered at greater rates than scaup at ANWR: (4) hatching-year (HY) scaup were recovered at greate r rates than were after-hatcbing-year (AHY) birds; and (5) recovery was more likely during 1984-86 than in 1983. Finally, in a crude test of recovery distribution, recoveries of birds banded at ANWR were about half as likely as those banded on TLWMA to occur in Minnesota. We conclude that cohort membership (age, capture site) and condition, as measured by body mass, influence susceptibility to hunting mortalitv. These and other sources of heterogeneity in recovery rates should be considered when modeling survival of scaup.

A Comparison of Two Noninvasive Techniques to Measure Total Body Lipid in Live Birds

ABSTRAcr.-Total body electrical conductivity (TOBEC) and near infrared interactance (IRI) are noninvasive techniques with potential utility for monitoring body composition of freeranging birds or captive experimental subjects. I used live Northern Bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) to validate these methods for estimation of total body lipid. Total body electrical conductivity and IRI measurements were compared with body composition as determined by solvent extraction of carcasses. I measured IRI at three body sites (subscapular, pectoralis, and subfemoral) on 42 bobwhites. Only the subscapular and pectoralis sites yielded IRI measurements that were significantly correlated with percent body lipid, but IRI from these sites explained only 17.5% and 10.0% of the variation in percent body lipid, respectively. The cause of the low correlations is unknown, but it was not a function of differences in subject posture or light-wand position between replicate measures on the same subject. Total body electrical conductivity measurements explained 92% of the variation in lean body mass in a sample of 62 bobwhites. Measurements were affected by small differences in subject movement and position in the measurement chamber. There was no significant difference in TOBEC of subjects with or without aluminum leg bands. Measurements obtained from the same subjects with two different SA-1 TOBEC analyzers were not significantly different. The residuals about the regression of TOBEC against lean body mass were not correlated significantly with body temperature, but were significantly correlated with hydration. Total body electrical conductivity explained 99.1% of the variation in lean body mass when only those data from normally hydrated and properly restrained subjects were included (n = 38). Estimated body lipid from TOBEC measurements was highly correlated with total body lipid (R = 0.96) as determined by solvent extraction. The 95% confidence limits from the inverse regression procedure for the estimate of total body lipid from TOBEC measurements were ?4.75 g at 25 g lipid, ?4.85 g at 10 g lipid, and ?5.62 g at 50 g lipid. Estimated total body lipid from TOBEC measurements was on average within 10% of total body lipid from solvent extraction. Although IRI analysis failed to yield a suitable index to body composition, TOBEC analysis provided an accurate estimate of total body lipid in live bobwhites. Received 30 July 1990, accepted 4 December 1990.

Estimated Survival Rates of Canada Geese within the Atlantic Flyway

Project personnel banded 28,849 Canada geese (Branta canadensis) with aluminum leg bands and individually coded neck bands in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina from 1983 to 1986. The mean annual neck band retention rate was 99.3 * 0.3 (SE)% from retrap data of previously banded geese. The annual survival rate for the flyway was 77.3 3.8% using band-recovery analyses from 1,008 recoveries of 13,331 postseason-banded geese and 70.9 ? 1.3% using mark-resight data. Annual changes in the distribution of wintering geese were caused, in part, by changes in annual survival rate. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 53(1):91-96 The changing winter distribution of Canada geese is a major problem facing managers within the Atlantic flyway (Hankla and Rudolph 1967, Trost and Malecki 1985, Malecki and Trost 1986). During the 1960's, a large percentage of wintering geese shifted northward from North and South Carolina to the Chesapeake region (Del., Md., and Va.) (Trost and Malecki 1985). The distribution of wintering geese appears to be shifting further north from the Chesapeake to the mid-Atlantic region (N.Y., Pa., and N.J.) (Fig. 1). The changing winter distribution may result from differential survival, reproduction, or movement between subpopulations or regions. Differential survival or movement may result from changes in available wintering habitat, changes in diet, proliferation of private sanctuaries, changing weather trends, and increasing numbers of resident geese decoying migrants. Our objective was to determine if changing winter distribution of Canada geese results from differential survival. We thank all state, federal, and private biologists who have banded or observed geese in the Atlantic flyway. Without their hard work, this study would not have been possible. We especially thank J. D. Nichols for assistance with the analysis, S. Sheaffer for computing assistance, and J. E. Hines for Figure 1. We also thank J. D. Nichols, S. Sheaffer, N. B. Barber, M. J. Conroy, and an anonymous referee for reviewing the manuscript. This paper is a contribution of the New York Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Cornell University, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and Wildlife Management Institute (USFWS contract 14-16-0009-1524) cooperate with the New York Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit.

Effect of Wing Tags on Renesting Interval in Red-Winged Blackbirds

Red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus), like many other passerines, will sometimes renest if their first nest is destroyed. During a nesting ecology study of this species (Jackson 1971), I measured the interval required for renesting to begin after nest destruction. My intention was to use patagial tags as an aid in locating birds that renested. I used patagial tags during 1968-69, but when I suspected that the tags disrupted behavior and delayed renesting, I discontinued their use and thereafter used only aluminum leg bands. Data presented here compare renesting intervals for redwinged blackbirds marked with aluminum bands alone and with aluminum bands and plastic patagial tags.

Dynamics of an Unexploited Bobwhite Population in Deteriorating Habitat

The dynamics of an unexploited bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) population were investigated over a 9-year period in southern Illinois. Deteriorating habitat caused an 85% population decline from 136 to 21 birds per 100 hectares. Accompanying changes in demographic parameters are described. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 43(2):306-315 Since 1950, the Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory (CWRL) of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale has been investigating the ecology of a hunted bobwhite population near Carbondale (Roseberry and Klimstra 1972). A 2nd study was initiated in 1965 to obtain comparative data from a nearby unexploited population. Because of substantial changes in the latter area's carrying capacity for bobwhites, some planned analyses were precluded. However, the situation did provide opportunity to observe certain population phenomena under unique conditions. The purpose of this paper is to: (1) document a rapid and considerable decline in the abundance of a local unexploited bobwhite population, (2) describe the changes in various demographic parameters which accompanied this decline, and (3) attempt to identify the causes of the decline. This paper is a contribution from Project No. 1: Bobwhite Quail Life History and Population Studies, Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. The authors are grateful to the many graduate students and undergraduate student workers of the Laboratory who aided in censuses and nest hunting. Appreciation s ext nded to S. L. Wunderle, W. H. Nesbitt, and D. Urban for their special contributions to the project. The collaboration of personnel of the University Farms is acknowledged. STUDY AREA AND METHODS The study area was a 449-ha tract owned by Southern Illinois UniversityCarbondale in Jackson County, hereafter referred to as the SIU Farms. Farming activities were conducted by various departments within the School of Agriculture. The area was bounded on the south and west primarily by other SIU farmland and on the north and east by residential areas and the campus. Topography is gently rolling with maximum and minimum elevation 146 and 125 m, respectively. The glaciated soils are Hosmer and Stoy silt loams of moderate productivity and medium fertility. Distribution and abundance of bobwhites were determined 4 times each year (early November, late December, early February, and mid-March) by direct census. The entire area was systematically traversed by crews of 6-12 men and 1-2 trained bird dogs. Nest searching of selected areas employed methods described by Klimstra and Roseberry (1975:7). Live-trapping utilized wire traps described by Stoddard (1931:447) and baited with either grain or live decoy 1 Present address: 105-K East Ticonderoga Drive, Westerville, OH 43081. 306 J. Wildl. Manage. 43(2):1979 This content downloaded from 157.55.39.35 on Mon, 29 Aug 2016 05:16:09 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms BOBWHITE IN DETERIORATING HABITAT. Roseberry et al. 307 hens. Captured birds were marked with No. 1 aluminum leg bands (National Band and Tag Co., Newport, Ky.) and their sex, age, and weight were determined prior to release at the capture site. Land use and cover patterns were recorded on 1 July and 1 November of each year. Cover removal or other habitat alteration was recorded as it occurred.

Pair-Bond Tenure in the Black-Bellied Tree Duck

Pair-Bond Tenure in the Black-Bellied Tree Duck

Wintering Concentrations and Seasonal Shifts in Range in the Rio Grande Turkey

Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) were studied in three winter concentration areas of 5,120 acres, 5,760 acres, and 12,582 acres in Sutton County, Texas, during 1960-63. Peak populations were as high as one bird to 8.5 acres, 8.2 acres, and 17.9 acres on the concentration areas in 1961. Over a 3- year period in late February and early March 310 turkeys from wintering concentration areas were banded with aluminum leg bands to which colored flashers were attached. Fifty-three records of banded birds were obtained after they had dispersed to summer range. Movements ranged from 3.5 miles to 26 miles and averaged 10.9 miles. Turkeys returned to the wintering areas where they had been marked. Normally, no intermingling was noted between wintering areas. In one instance, turkeys left the tradi- tional roosting areas, supposedly in response to predation, but returned after predators were controlled. All land on the Edwards Plateau is privately owned, and landlords control access for hunting purposes. During the November 16-December 31 hunting season, when turkeys were concentrated on wintering areas, turkey hunting was controlled by only a few landowners. This system results in underharvesting, and it is suggested that a spring gobbler season be considered. In the spring the birds were found over an area of approximately 400,000 acres. Thus, during a spring hunting season more landowners would control access to them. In addition, in years of high population hens could be made legal game during the fall season without damage to the population. Hopefully, these changes would result in a higher kill and provide more equitable distribution of access to the turkey population by licensed hunters.