N. J. Silvy

Recaptures of mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) banded with spiral plastic leg bands revealed these bands were constricting and resulting in loss or severe damage to the legs of doves. Analysis of data from an experiment to determine the effects of color, environmental exposure, and treatment with acetone on the shrinkage of bands indicated that all 3 variables affected (P < 0.01) band shrinkage. Black bands experienced the greatest shrinkage of the 8 colors tested. Bands exposed to the environment shrank more (P <0.01) than bands kept at room temperature or in a freezer....

Mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) nests were located on the Texas A&M University Campus from February-October 1981. Mortality differed between the various stages of the nesting cycle, and in different months within each stage. The number of days in which wind speed exceeded 27.6 km/h (15 kts) each month explained 34% of the variability (P =0.10) associated with total nesting mortality. Mean monthly temperature was positively correlated (P < 0.10) with mortality occurring during the 1st nestling week and negatively correlated during the 2nd week after hatching. Loss of nestlings was...

Nesting success and production of mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) was studied on the Texas A&M University Campus during 1978 and 1979. Data indicated that mourning dove nesting and production were highly variable between months within years and monthly between years. Nests initiated in August were the most important both in quantity (20% of total) and rate of success (32% of total).' Although September-initiated nests contributed only 5% of total nests and 6% of fledged young, August-initiated nests still active during early September contributed 20% of the total fledglings in 1978...

Adult mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) were live trapped on the Texas A&M University Campus during August through December in 1978 and 1979. Known adult doves were examined to determine the sequence of primary replacement. A linear regression of primary molt on time indicated that less than 1 percent of adults completed molt by 1 September. All adult doves had completed molt by 1 December. Classing all doves which have completed molt in September as hatch-year birds would cause no significant aging bias in Texas.