Post-juvenal Primary Feather Molt of Wild Mourning Doves in Texas

Comparison of observed age at post-juvenal primary molt of wild mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) with predicted ages from 5 published aging studies revealed differences (P < 0.1) for all comparisons. Observed molt occurred at an older (P < 0.0001) age than predicted by the current standard for aging juvenile doves. A new model for aging mourning dove juveniles using molt data from primaries 1-9 is presented based on data collected from wild birds on the Texas A&M University Campus. The wide range in observed age at molt of primary 10 precluded its use in these analyses.