A Framework for Reproductive Models of Mourning Doves

Authors

David L. Otis, Iowa State University

Document Type

Research

Keywords

Mourning Dove, Zenaida macroura, harvest management, reproduction model

Abstract

Population models can be used to aid in development and evaluation of harvest management strategies for game species. No current models are available for the Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura), which is considered a migratory game bird in 37 states. A predictive model for annual reproduction is a necessary component of such a model. I used a simple construct based on parameters of the Mourning Dove breeding cycle to develop probability distributions of annual per capita reproduction for each of five geographical regions in the U.S. Confidence intervals for model predictions included average estimates from published studies in all regions except the southeastern U.S. Additional field studies will be required to produce contemporary estimates of model parameters and their spatial and temporal variation. A large-scale survey to estimate age ratios using wings from hunter-harvested doves could be used to evaluate and improve model predictions and structure, but additional research will first be necessary to calibrate harvest age ratios with realized annual productivity. Stochastic computer simulations of population models can be used to evaluate the sensitivity of predicted population trends to individual reproductive parameters.

Publication Date

March-June 2003

Journal Title

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science

Volume

110

Issue

1-2

First Page

13

Last Page

16

Copyright

© Copyright 2002 by the Iowa Academy of Science, Inc.

Language

EN

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Otis, David L. (2003) "A Framework for Reproductive Models of Mourning Doves," Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS, 110(1-2), 13-16.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/jias/vol110/iss1/5