Estimating Band-Reporting Rates from Banding and Crippling Loss Data

Abstract

A new method for estimating band-reporting rates (proportion of bands recovered by hunters that are reported to the Bird Banding Laboratory) is described. This method is dependent upon components obtained from banding data (direct re-covery rate, annual mortality rate, and annual natural mortality rate) and crippling loss information. These data are to a large degree already available for waterfowl. The results obtained in my example, involving data from the dusky Canada goose (Branta canadensis occidentalis), are in close agreement with band-reporting rates determined for other subspecies of geese in 1966 by Martinson and McCann who used a mail questionnaire survey. The band-reporting rate for the subspecies studied has declined significantly from 49.1 percent for the period 1953-60, to 33.2 percent in 1962 and 1963.