SURVIVAL RATES AND RECOVERY DISTRIBUTIONS OF CANADA GEESE BANDED IN NEBRASKA

• Main Authors: Powell, Larkin A., Vrtiska, Mark, Lyman, Nick
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln 2003
• Subjects: Branta canadensis; Canada geese; modeling; Nebraska; recovery distribution; survival; Environmental Sciences; Natural Resources and Conservation; Natural Resources Management and Policy; Other Environmental Sciences; Canada
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/natrespapers/433; https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/natrespapers/article/1437/viewcontent/Powell_PICGS_2004_Survival_rates.pdf

We analyzed banding and recovery data for Canada geese (Branta canadensis) banded in Nebraska during 1990–2000. Survival rates were lower during 1996–2000 (adult: 0.688, SE = 0.016; juvenile: 0.611, SE = 0.029), than 1990–1995 (adult: 0.727, SE = 0.011; juvenile: 0.639, SE = 0.024). Average juvenile-to-adult ratio from banding data was 0.834 (SD = 0.485), resulting in an annual population growth rate (λ) estimate for 1990–1995 of 0.995 (95% CI = 0.021), and 0.922 (0.018) for 1996–2000. Our recovery analysis suggests that 67% of geese banded in Nebraska are shot in Nebraska. Over 30% of both juvenile and adult recoveries are obtained in December, and geese banded in Lancaster County are recovered in higher numbers during October than geese banded in the Panhandle and Sandhills regions. Sixty to 70% of geese banded in Lancaster County and the Panhandle region are recovered in their respective region, while less than 20% of geese banded in the Sandhills are recovered in the Sandhills. Our analysis suggests that subpopulations of Canada geese in Nebraska differ in their survival and movements. Thus, area-specifi c management could be directed at each subpopulation.