Factors Influencing Annual Survival and Recovery Rates, Primary Feather Molt, and Hatch Chronology of White-winged Doves in Texa

Understanding survival and breeding season length of game birds are important for effective management and conservation. By determining the variables that drive survival and recovery rates for white-winged doves (Zenaida asiatica), I can offer management implications to agencies across their range. There is currently little knowledge about white-winged dove molting and hatching chronology. The objectives of this study were to: 1) investigate annual survival and recovery rates of white-winged doves, 2) determine intrinsic and extrinsic factors influencing them, 3) determine AHY primary feather molt rate and the factors that influence molt rate and initiation, and 4) describe hatch chronology and determine the factors that influence hatching. To understand what influences annual survival and recovery, I examined subpopulation, climate variables, urbanization characteristics, molt, and band type as covariates. I used the Brownie approach in the RMark package of R to compare annual survival and recovery models and generate estimates. I used Underhill and Zucchini models in the Moult package of R to determine AHY primary feather molt rate and the best predictors of molt rate and initiation. I analyzed molt scores of HY doves recorded during annual banding using GLMs in R to determine the factors that influence hatching. I used AIC to select the most parsimonious models for each a priori candidate set. I analyzed 71,675 bands, of which, 3,086 were recovered from 2007 -- 2016. My most supported model influencing survival and recovery was [S(age class x urban intensity) f(age class X MRPP)]. Average AHY primary molt rate across Texas was 13.21 +/- 0.93 days. MRPP subpopulation + Year was the most supported model influencing AHY primary molt rate, AHY molt initiation, and hatch date. Within my sample, 95% of AHY white-winged doves began molting from 7 April to 8 July and completed molt 17 August to 17 November. White-winged doves hatched as early as 6 January and as late as 27 July, with 95% of all hatching occurring between 22 March and 18 June and peaking at 5 May. Urban intensity was an important variable influencing annual survival, which is expected for such an urbanized species. MRPP subpopulations influenced vital rates and should be considered for future harvest management.