Mourning Dove, White-winged Dove, and Band-tailed Pigeon: 2008 Population Status

Mourning Dove Population Status, 2008 This report includes Mourning Dove Call-count Survey information gathered over the last 43 years within the conterminous United States. Between 2007 and 2008, the average number of doves heard per route decreased significantly in the Eastern and Central Management Units, but did not change significantly in the Western Unit. Over the most recent 10 years, no significant trend was indicated for doves heard in either the Eastern or Western Management Units while the Central Unit showed a significant decline. Over the 43-year period, all 3 units exhibited significant declines. In contrast, for doves seen over the 10-year period, no significant trends were found for any of the three Management Units. Over 43 years, no trend was found for doves seen in the Eastern and Central Units while a significant decline was indicated for the Western Unit. White-Winged Dove Status in Arizona, 2008 The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AGFD) has monitored white-winged dove populations by means of a call-count survey to provide an annual index to population size. It runs concurrently with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Mourning Dove Call-count Survey. The index peaked at 52.3 mean number doves heard per route in 1968, but fell precipitously in the late 1970s. The index has stabilized to around 25 doves per route in the last few years; in 2008, the mean number of doves heard per route was 26.9. AGFD also monitors harvest. Harvest during the 15-day season (September 1-15) peaked in the late 1960’s at ~740,000 birds (1968 AGFD estimate) and has since stabilized at around 100,000 birds; the 2006 Harvest Information Program (HIP) estimate was 127,600 birds. In 2007, Arizona redesigned their dove harvest survey questionnaire to sample only from hunters registered under HIP. In the future, AGFD and HIP harvest estimates should be more comparable than they have been in the past. Band-Tailed Pigeon Population Status, 2008 This report summarizes information on the abundance and harvest of band-tailed pigeons collected annually in the western United States and British Columbia. Annual counts of Interior band-tailed pigeons seen and heard per route have not changed (P = 0.11) since implementation of the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) in 1966; however, they decreased (P \u3c 0.01) over the last 10 years by a mean of 12.0 ± 2.1% ( x ± SE). Current (2007) estimates of harvest and hunter participation were 4,800 ± 1,739 birds and 12,800 ± 2,155 hunter days afield. Composition of harvest was 20.5% hatching year birds. For Pacific Coast band-tailed pigeons, annual BBS counts of birds seen and heard per route have decreased (P = 0.06) by a mean of 1.3 ± 0.7% since 1966, but they have not changed (P = 0.66) over the last 10 years. According to the Pacific Coast Mineral Site Survey, annual counts of Pacific Coast band-tailed pigeons seen per mineral site have increased (P = 0.01) since the survey was experimentally implemented in 2001 by a mean of 7.1 ± 2.9%. Current (2007) estimates of harvest and hunter participation were 12,700 ± 2,073 birds and 13,500 ± 2,066 hunter days afield. Composition of harvest was 17.2% hatching year birds. Current estimates of the age-related vulnerability to harvest for these populations are unknown