Survival rates of band-tailed pigeons estimated using passive integrated transponder tags
Collins, D. P., Zimmerman, G. S., Carleton, S. A., Kendall, W. L., & Coxen, C. L. (2023). Survival rates of band-tailed pigeons estimated using passive integrated transponder tags. Journal of Wildlife Management, 87(4). Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.22385
Obtaining survival estimates on the Interior population of band-tailed pigeons (Patagioenas fasciata) is challenging because they are trap shy, but the joint use of passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags and bands is a potential solution. We investigated the use of PIT tags to passively recapture band-tailed pigeon at 3 locations in New Mexico, USA, to estimate survival. From 2013-2015, we captured, banded, and marked >600 individual band-tailed pigeons with PIT tags. To estimate annual survival rates, we used a Barker multi-state joint live and dead encounters and resighting model. Survival models excluding transience had survival estimates across site, sex, and year of 0.86 (95% CI = 0.84-0.88) for after hatch year birds and 0.63 (95% CI = 0.48-0.76) for hatch year birds. These results are consistent with other survival estimates reported for the Interior population of band-tailed pigeons using band return data and potentially provide an effective alternative method of monitoring survival of this population.
