Band-Recovery Analysis and Survival Estimates for South Dakota Giant Canada Goose Populations

• Main Author: Gleason, Jeffrey S.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange 1997
• Subjects: giant canada goose; popualtions; south dkaota; bird banding; Natural Resources and Conservation; Canada; Branta canadensis; Canada Goose
• Online Access: https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd/435; https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/context/etd/article/1435/viewcontent/GleasonJeffrey1997.pdf

Survival and recovery rate estimates were calculated for South Dakota giant Canada goose (Branta canadensis maxima) populations. I analyzed Canada goose bandrecovery data obtained from the USGS's Bird Banding Laboratory consisting of 26, 141 bandings and 6,837 recoveries (1955 - 95). Only Canada geese banded preseason (June - September) and shot or found dead during the hunting season were included in the analysis. Programs DBASE IV, PARADOX, and Band Analysis System were used for sorting banding and recovery data. Survival and recovery rate estimates were derived using Program ESTIMATE and INTERVAL. To increase sample size and to meet assumptions, testing for pooling of sexes, ages, status' (status 3; normal, wild vs. status 2,4,6,8; restored), year periods (1967-76, 1977-86, and 1987 95) and regions (Waubay, eastern and western, SD) was conducted. Calculation of bandings by IO-year periods (i.e., 1967-76, 1977-86, 1987-95) indicated regional differences (P≤ 0.05) in banding effort. Banding efforts in western South Dakota were relatively constant (P=0.937) over the 29-year period while efforts in eastern South Dakota increased significantly (P=0.02) during the same interval. Banding efforts for the Waubay region showed significant increases (P=0.0001) over the 17-year period studied. Results from recovery rates (unadjusted, direct and indirect recoveries pooled) (± SE) derived using Program ESTIMATE and INTERVAL indicated an increase in recovery rates over time [3 .7 ± 0.7% (1967-76), 5.6 ± 0.9% (1977-86)] for normal, wild (ages and sexes pooled) Canada geese banded in western South Dakota. For this same status group (ages and sexes pooled), eastern South Dakota recovery rates increased from 2.6 ± 0.2% (1967-78) to 5.8 ± 0.3% (1987-95). Similarly, normal, wild geese (ages and sexes pooled) banded at Waubay showed increasing recovery rates of 5.6 ± 1 .7% (1959-66) and 7.9 ± 0.5% (1967-76). Adult (1968-79) and subadult (1976-78) recovery rates for restored flocks banded in western South Dakota were 6.4 ± 0.4% and ...