R. E. Turnbull

Variation in Band-recovery and Survival Rates of Mottled Ducks in Florida

The failure to recognize heterogeneity in band-recovery and survival rates can lead to biased estimates and spurious inferences regarding population status. We examined band-recovery data for sources of variation in recovery and survival rates of mottled ducks (Anas fuhigula) in Florida. Distances between banding and recovery sites were small (median = 38 km), suggesting that mottled ducks live much of their lives within the same drainage basin. Recovery rates varied among regions of banding, perhaps because of spatial heterogeneity in bandreporting rates. Cohort-specific survival rates...