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1 March 2018 Capture and injury rates of Band-tailed Pigeons using whoosh nets
Christopher L. Coxen, Daniel P. Collins, Scott A. Carleton
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Abstract

Catching ground feeding birds has typically been accomplished through small, walk-in funnel-style traps. This approach is limited because it requires a bird to find its way into the trap, is biased toward less wary birds, and does not allow targeted trapping of individual birds. As part of a large study on Band-tailed Pigeons (Patagioenas fasciata) in New Mexico, we needed a trapping method that would allow more control over the number of birds we could trap at one time, when a trap was deployed, and target trapping of specific individuals. We adopted a relatively novel trapping technique used primarily for shorebirds, whoosh nets, to trap Band-tailed Pigeons at 3 different sites where birds were being fed by local landowners. During 2013–2015, whoosh nets were used to trap 702 Band-tailed Pigeons at 3 different locations in New Mexico. We captured 12.54 ± 8.19 pigeons per shot over 56 capture events across 3 locations (range: 2–39). Some superficial injuries occurred using this technique and typically involved damage to the primary and secondary wing coverts. In 2013, 24% of captured birds had an injury of this nature, but after modifying the net speed, injury rates in 2014 and 2015 dropped to 8% and 7%, respectively. Recaptured previously injured birds showed new feather growth within 2 weeks and showed no signs of injury after 4 weeks. Whoosh nets proved to be a highly effective solution for trapping large numbers of pigeons at baited sites. These systems are easily transported, quickly deployed, and easily adapted to a variety of site conditions. Received 5 May 2016. Accepted 6 March 2017.

Christopher L. Coxen, Daniel P. Collins, and Scott A. Carleton "Capture and injury rates of Band-tailed Pigeons using whoosh nets," The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 130(1), 321-326, (1 March 2018). https://doi.org/10.1676/16-069.1
Published: 1 March 2018
KEYWORDS
avian trapping technique
Band-tailed Pigeon
columbid
New Mexico
whoosh net
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