Population Dynamics of the Mourning Dove in South Dakota

Mourning dove bandings in South Dakota totaled 44,842 from 1917 through 1970. Adult bandings totaled 44.4 percent of all bandings while immatures, juveniles, locals, and unknown age were 41.3, 0.8, 12.8, and 0.7 percent, respectively. Recoveries totaled 2.8 percent of the banded population, 2.5 percent from hunting and 0.5 percent from non-hunting. Annual mortality estimates of local (nestling) bandings from 1956-61 were between 54.4 and 64.5 percent. Subsequent adult mortality from local bandings was between 51.0 and 52.4 percent. Mean annuals mortality estimates of flying doves banded from 1964-69 were calculated using composite dynamic, composite time-specific, relative recovery rate, a method proposed by Williams (1967), and an adjusted number of recoveries. Mortality rates for banded adult doves were 51.7 percent, adult males 52.4 percent, adult females 48.5 percent, immatures 60.3 percent, and adult estimates form immature bandings, 44.6 percent. Aberdeen bandings predominated in the sample so separate calculations were made excluding those bandings. Mean annual mortality estimates for adults were approximately 2 percent greater while immature annual mortality was 4 percent greater when Aberdeen bandings were excluded. Mortality estimates for Aberdeen bandings were approximately 3 percent less for adults and 10 percent less for immatures when compared to mortality estimates from other bandings in the state. Under present mortality, at least 2.6 immatures per female would have to be alive by the start of the hunting season to maintain a stationary population. Approximate annual mortality due to hunting increased from 5 to 8 percent when the hunting season was opened in South Dakota in 1967. No correlation was found between hunting pressure and fluctuations in annual mortality rates. Differential vulnerability to hunting was not found between immatures and adults. However, adult males tended to be 1.28 times more vulnerable to shooting than adult females. South Dakota, Texas, and Mexico accounted for over 86 percent of all hunting recoveries of mourning doves banded in South Dakota, 1964-69. Immature direct recoveries from Mexico (17.9 percent) were double over those of adults (7.7 percent). Mexican population than on the adult population. Evidently, a great proportion of immatures than adults banded in South Dakota winter in Mexico.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis - Open Access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Wildlife Management

Year

1971

Author dc:creator

• Rice, Leslie A.

• Natural Resources and Conservation

Statement dc:rights

• <p>No Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Only<br /><a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-NC/1.0/</a></p>

Language dc:language

en

Repository record dc:identifier

https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd/204

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:openprairie.sdstate.edu:etd-1204