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While much has been made of Lucullus Virgil McWhorter's influence on Mourning Dove's novel Cogewea, very little mention has been made by scholars about the connections between Cogewea and Therese Broderick's The Brand. Scholars like Arnold Krupat and Victoria Lamont, for example, mention the scene in Cogewea in which the protagonist becomes disgusted enough with The Brand to toss it into the fireplace, but an actual side-by-side comparison has not been made. Broderick's novel overlaps with Mourning Dove's text in thematic ways that extend beyond one scene: the romance genre that both writers chose for their works; the appearance of protagonists who identify as both White and Native American; and the role of women in ranching. By executing this textual comparison using a Native American and Indigenous studies lens, it will become apparent that Mourning Dove's novel was more than an attempt to "write back" to Broderick's Eurocentric perspective. Rather, Mourning Dove's text demonstrates that Native Americans actively shaped literature, that they communicated via different forms of media, and that Native works exhibit tribally specific knowledge and chronology, the latter of which are outlined as the major tenets of Native American and Indigenous studies by Alyssa Mt. Pleasant, Caroline Wigginton, and Kelly Wisecup. To view this intertextual relationship through the lens of Native American and Indigenous studies will make possible a return to established topics like settler-Native conflict, blood quantum, and Native feminism using new points of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eurasian collared-doves (Streptopelia decaocto; hereafter 'collared-doves') have spread throughout North America since they first colonized Florida in the early 1980s. Here I test for adverse effects of this introduced species on four confamilial potential competitor dove and pigeon species using data from the breeding season (North American Breeding Bird Survey; BBS) and the winter (Audubon Christmas Bird Count; CBC). Within sites of both sets of surveys, correlations between populations of collared-doves and all four potential competitor species have generally been either nonsignificant or positive, indicating a lack of adverse competitive effects due to collared-doves. Similarly, there were no significant differences in population trends of any of the four species in sites where collared-doves were present compared to those where they were not, and there have been no significant declines in population trends of the four species driven by differences in collared-dove abundance in areas where the latter were present. Overall, analyses revealed no negative effects of collared-doves on populations of these potential competitors. Evidence thus far supports a 'passenger' rather than a 'driver' role for collared-doves in North America, although future monitoring of potential competitor species is warranted, especially if collared-dove populations continue to increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how land cover and potential competition with invasive species shape patterns of occupancy, extirpation, and colonization of native species across a landscape can help target management for declining native populations. Mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) populations have declined throughout the United States from 1965–2015. The expansion of the Eurasian collared‐dove (Streptopelia decaocto), an introduced species with similar food preferences, may further threaten mourning dove populations. We analyzed data from 2009–2016 from a large‐scale monitoring program in the Western Great Plains of the United States in a 2‐species occupancy model to assess the effects of collared‐doves on mourning dove distributions, while accounting for imperfect detection and variation in land cover across the landscape. Mourning dove occupancy was stable or increasing across our study area, and despite overlap in resource use and co‐occurrence between mourning doves and Eurasian collared‐doves, we found no evidence that collared‐doves are extirpating mourning doves from preferred habitat during the breeding season. © 2020 The Wildlife Society. We investigated whether Eurasian collared‐doves have affected the distribution of mourning doves in the western Great Plains of the United States. Both species choose similar land cover types and collared‐doves do not seem to be influencing landscape‐level occurrence of mourning doves within our study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We reconstructed a historical dataset from a national mourning dove Zenaida macroura nesting study evaluating the effects of hunting on nesting birds during the September portion of the hunting season using Bayesian hierarchical models; the reconstructed dataset contained 707 nests. The original nest survival estimate of 96.3% (nonhunted zones) fell within the range of our average daily nest survival rates and credible intervals (CI) of 97.2% (95% CI: 96.2–98.0%) for nonhunted, but the original nest survival estimate of 95.5% (hunted zones) was lower than our average daily nest survival rates of 96.9% (95% CI: 96.1–97.7%) for hunted zones. Similarly, overall nest survival for areas and years combined for hunted zones was 44.3% (95% CI: 35.3%, 53.9%) and 48.1% (95% CI: 36.9%, 59.8%) for nonhunted zones. The most parsimonious model contained the primary covariates of hunted or nonhunted status (hunted or paired hunted) or paired hunted or nonhunted nest searching plot (zone), and year. We observed lower nest survival for the hunted or delayed-hunt zones compared to the zones with hunted or nonhunted season structure. Regional differences may be explained by states with early and late hunting seasons separated by ≥ 21 d compared to other pairs where hunted and nonhunted areas occurred simultaneously. Our reanalysis provides managers additional assurance that the basic premise of limited or no effect of harvest on mourning dove populations is still valid but continued monitoring of population status is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) is the most important game bird in central and northern Mexico, especially in the state of Jalisco. However, nothing is known about the dynamics of their populations during the nonbreeding season. To obtain an insight into these dynamics in Jalisco, Mourning Doves were counted every winter season from 2004/2005 to 2016/2017 along 10 routes throughout the state. Of these routes, only the data from eight were analyzed, because the two on the Pacific Coast were practically devoid of Mourning Doves. The data indicate Mourning Dove abundance in Jalisco during the nonbreeding winter season: (1) might reflect U.S. population changes two summers earlier, and (2) be significantly reduced from the 2004/2005 to 2014/2015 winter seasons, in part due to decreases in the U.S. central population, but seemingly also due to local, regional, or extra-regional processes yet to be understood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obligate avian brood parasites are raised by heterospecific hosts and, therefore, lack crucial early exposure to relatives and other conspecifics. Yet, young brood parasites readily recognize and affiliate with others of their own species upon independence. One solution to this social recognition paradox is the ontogenetic 'password' mechanism used by obligate parasitic brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater), whereby conspecific identification is initially mediated through the cowbird chatter: a non-learned vocal cue. We explored the neural basis of such password-based species recognition in juvenile and adult male cowbirds. We found that cowbird auditory forebrain regions express greater densities of the protein product of the immediate-early gene ZENK in response to the password chatter call relative to control sounds of mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) coos. The chatter-selective induction of ZENK expression occurs in both the caudal medial nidopallium (NCM) and the caudal medial mesopallium (CMM) in adults, but only within the NCM in juveniles. In contrast, we discovered that juvenile cowbirds exhibit neural selectivity to presentations of either conspecific or heterospecific songs, but only in CMM and only after recent experience. Juvenile cowbirds that did not have previous experience with the song type they were exposed to during the test period exhibited significantly lower activity-dependent gene expression. Thus, in juvenile male cowbirds, there is early onset of species-specific selective neural representation of non-learned calls in NCM and recently experienced song in CMM. These results suggest that NCM is evolutionarily co-opted in parasitic cowbirds to selectively recognize the password chatter, allowing juvenile cowbirds to identify adult conspecifics and avoid mis-imprinting upon unrelated host species. These ontogenetic comparisons reveal novel insights into the neural basis of species recognition in brood parasitic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In mammals, insulin primarily lowers plasma glucose (P Glu ) by increasing its uptake into tissues. Studies have also shown that insulin lowers P Glu in mammals by modulating glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Birds have naturally high P Glu and, although insulin administration significantly decreases glucose concentrations, birds are resistant to insulin-mediated glucose uptake into tissues. Since prior work has not examined the effects of insulin on GFR in birds, the purpose of the present study was to assess whether insulin can augment renal glucose excretion and thereby lower P Glu . Therefore, the hypothesis of the present study was that insulin lowers P Glu in birds by augmenting GFR, as estimated by inulin clearance (C In ). Adult mourning doves ( Zenaida macroura ) were used as experimental animals. Doves were anesthetized and the brachial vein was cannulated for administration of [ 14 C]-inulin and insulin and the brachial artery was cannulated for blood collections. Ureteral urine was collected via a catheter inserted into the cloaca. Ten minutes following administration of exogenous insulin (400 μg/kg body mass, i.v.) plasma glucose was significantly decreased ( p = 0.0003). Twenty minutes following insulin administration, increases in GFR ( p = 0.016) were observed along with decreases in urine glucose concentrations ( p = 0.008), glucose excretion ( p = 0.028), and the fractional excretion of glucose ( p = 0.003). Urine flow rate ( p = 0.051) also tended to increase after administration of insulin. These data demonstrate a significant role for insulin in modulating GFR in mourning doves, which may in part explain the lower P Glu measured following insulin administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mourning dove (Zenaida macroura L.) is a species subjected to high consumptive use in Cuba, but there are a few publications related to its feeding habits in tropical regions. The goal of the present study was feeding analysis of Mourning dove to know its food spectrum, dietary importance and impact on a Caribbean agroecosystem. Seventy six samples of dove's crop were collected in a hunting area of Cienfuegos province. The farming habitat presented higher feeding quality for this dove. The diet spectrum showed 88% plant, 9% mineral and 3% from animal origin. The seeds of Euphorbia heterphylla and Panicum maximum were the most important food items consumed by this species. Its main diet composed of 79% of seeds from herbaceous plants, with a preference for the small seeds. Crop damage caused by this dove was low, because only 10% of consumed food came from agricultural species and this dove ate seeds from plants considered weeds by farmers. Thus we concluded that this dove is a beneficial species in tropical agrosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We reconstructed a historical mourning dove Zenaida macroura nesting dataset to estimate nest survival and investigate the effect of covariates by using a Bayesian hierarchical model. During 1979-1980, 106 study areas, across 27 states, were established to conduct weekly nest searches during February-October. We used roughly 11,000 data sheets to reconstruct the dataset containing 7,139 nests compared to 6,950 nests in the original study. Original and reconstructed nest survival estimates showed little difference by using the original analysis methodology, that is, the Mayfield method. Thus, we assumed we closely replicated the original dataset; distributions of nests found, birds hatched, and birds fledged also showed similar trends. After confirming the validity of the reconstructed dataset, we evaluated 10 different models by using a Bayesian hierarchical modeling approach; the final model contained variables for nest age or stage, nest height, region, but not habitat. The year 1980 had a higher probability of nest survival compared to 1979, and nest survival increased with nest height. The nest encounter probability increased at days 4 and 11 of the nesting cycle, providing some insight into the convenience sampling used in the original study. Our reanalysis with the use of covariates confirms previous hypotheses that mourning doves are habitat generalists, but it adds new information showing lower nest survival during nest initiation and egg laying and a decline when fledglings would be 4 or 5 d old. Regional differences in mourning dove nest survival confirm existing hypotheses about northern states demonstrating greater nest success compared to southern states where differences may reflect trade-offs associated with northern latitudes, weather differences, or food availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Normal avian plasma glucose levels are 1.5–2 times greater than mammals of similar size. In mammals, hyperglycemia induces oxidative stress and impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilation. Prior work has shown that mourning doves have high levels of antioxidants and isolated vessels have low endogenous oxidative stress. Therefore, the hypothesis was that endothelium-dependent vasodilation of isolated avian arteries would not be impaired following acute exposure to high glucose. Isolated small resistance cranial tibial arteries (c. tibial) were cannulated and pressurized in a vessel chamber then incubated with either normal or high glucose (20 mM vs. 30 mM) for 1 h at 41 °C. Vessels were then pre-constricted to 50% of resting inner diameter with phenylephrine (PE) followed by increasing doses of acetylcholine (ACh; 10 − 9 to 10 − 5 M, 5 min per step). Percent vasodilation was measured by tracking the inner diameter with edge-detection software. Contrary to our hypothesis, ACh-induced vasodilation was impaired with acute exposure to high glucose (p = 0.013). The impairment was not related to increased osmolarity since vasodilation of arteries exposed to an equimolar combination of 20 mM d -glucose and 10 mM l -glucose was not different from controls (p = 0.273). Rather, the impaired vasodilation was attributed to oxidative stress since superoxide levels were elevated 168 ± 42% (p = 0.02) and pre-exposure of arteries to the superoxide dismutase mimetic tiron (10 mM) improved vasodilation (p < 0.05). Therefore, isolated arteries from doves do not have endogenous mechanisms to prevent impaired vasodilation resulting from high glucose-mediated increases in oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The blood trematode Gigantobilharzia huronensis typically infects passerine birds and has not been reported in other orders of wild birds. However, in the summer of 2011 in Tempe, Arizona, USA, mourning doves ( Zenaida macroura ; order: Columbiformes) were collected with infections of G. huronensis. This is the first report of a natural schistosome infection found in wild populations of doves. We sought to determine if G. huronensis infections alter the general body condition and physiology of doves, a seemingly unlikely host for this parasite. Specifically, we hypothesized that birds infected with schistosomes would exhibit reduced weight as well as increased markers of stress and immune system activation. Adult male mourning doves ( n = 14) were captured using walk-in style funnel traps. After weighing the birds, blood and mesenteric tissue samples were collected. We measured biomarkers of stress including circulating heat shock proteins (HSPs) 60 and 70, as well as oxidized lipoproteins in schistosome-infected and non-infected birds. Indices of immune system reactivity were assessed using agglutination and lysis assays in addition to determining the leukocyte to erythrocyte ratios and prevalence of hemoparasite infections from blood smears. Schistosome-infected mourning doves had significantly increased oxidative stress and evidence of HSP70 mobilization. There was no evidence for weight loss in schistosome-infected birds nor evidence of significant immune system activation associated with schistosome infection. This may be a reflection of the small sample size available for the study. These findings suggest that schistosome infections have pathological effects in doves, but the lack of mature worms suggests that infected birds in this sampling may not have been suitable hosts for parasite maturation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mourning Doves ( Zenaida macroura) are common throughout much of North America and have been extensively studied. Seasonal changes in body mass are largely unreported and have not been examined in relation to replacement of primary flight feathers. We studied changes in body mass in relation to primary molt of doves captured in southeastern Arizona during 2000 through 2012. Body mass for adult males and females averaged 116.3 g (SE = 0.16) and 109.0 g (SE = 0.18), respectively. The distribution of body mass was similar for all months and was normally distributed. Body mass of adult males was lowest in August and September, and highest in November through January. Body mass of adult females was lowest in June through October and increased from October through March. Changes in body mass of adults generally tracked breeding and nesting activities and to a lesser extent timing of primary feather replacement. Body mass of juvenile doves increased linearly with replacement of juvenal primaries from prior to molt through replacement of P 8-10, while body mass of adult doves decreased from prior to molt through replacement of P 8-10. Adult primary feather replacement started in April and was mostly completed by October with some doves still replacing adult primaries well into December. Primary feather molt of hatch-year doves started in April, depending upon when hatching occurred and was mostly completed by December. The relationship between declines in body mass and progress of primary molt in adults is believed to be due primarily to energetic demands of breeding activities, although primary molt may also have a role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the preening behavior of butorides virescens, also known as green herons which use light and heat to faclitate removal of ectoparasite. Topics discussed include bird behavior includes scratching and pecking at spots to remove phototactic parasites, removal of lice by mourning doves, and high degree of behavioral plasticity by birds, which use twigs.

A species of Eimeria new to science was discovered in fecal samples of mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) from Kentucky, U.S.A. Oocysts (n = 57) are spherical to ovoid, 24.2 μm ± 0.6 × 20.7 μm ± 0.4 (23-25.5 μm × 20-21.5 μm), with an average length/width (L/W) ratio of 1.2 (1.1-1.3). The oocyst wall is double layered, smooth, and colorless. The outer wall is 1 pm, and the inner wall is extremely thin. Oocyst residuum and micropyle are absent, but 0-2 variably shaped polar granules (PG) are present. Most PG are sausage shaped (1 × 1.5 μm), while others are round or globular (~0.8-1 μm). Among the 57 oocysts, 54 had 1 PG, 2 had two PG, and 1 oocyst lacked a detectable PG. Sporocysts (n = 83) are ovoid, 12.4 μm ± 0.5 × 7.3 μm ± 0.3 (12-13.8 μm × 6.9-8 μm), with an average LAV ratio of 1.7 (1.5--1.9). A knob-like Stieda body continuous with the sporocyst wall and a rounded substieda body are present. The sporocysts contained a sporocyst residuum made up of numerous granules of a uniform size (1 μm). Sporozoites are smooth with a terminal refractile body present. This is the third description of an Eimeria species from the genus Zenaida (Columbiformes: Columbidae) and the first report of Eimeria from the mourning dove. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We calculated hatching dates for 2,479 immature mourning doves ( Zenaida macroura) captured and banded in a suburban area of Tucson, Arizona, during 2000-2012. Hatching commenced in February and continued into late September. Frequency of hatching peaked during 21-31 May and gradually declined to the end of September. Mourning doves in the Tucson area have hatching distribution similar to those of populations in other parts of the United States. Our data show no measurable differences in length of the mourning dove breeding season among varied locations throughout the United States over a 70-year period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has the potential to influence avian population dynamics through nest-fate sensitivity to temperatures during the breeding season. Nest fate also varies across spatially heterogeneous habitat, and changing land uses may independently introduce stressors on reproductive outcome. Identifying the individual and synergistic effects of climate change and land-use change is necessary for understanding the impact of global change on native species. We studied the nest fate of 3 sympatric species breeding in urban habitat in an arid region of the western United States. We monitored nests (n=371) of American Robin (Turdus migratorius), Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura), and Black-headed Grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus) over 4 yr on an urban-to-rural gradient and analyzed nest fate in relation to temperatures at the time of egg laying and after eggs hatched. Habitat measurements included nest height and the amounts of canopy cover and impervious surfaces at 3 spatial scales of 20-m, 100-m, and 500-m radii from the nest. Our data most strongly supported models that included temperature deviation after hatching, nest stage, fine-scale canopy cover, and pedestrian traffic. Nest survival increased at slight temperature increases during the nestling stage, which suggests that in a climate-change context, moderate warming in spring temperatures may be beneficial for some breeding birds. Nests were more likely to survive at locations with more canopy cover in a 20-m radius and at sites with more pedestrian traffic, which suggests that increasing cover of native riparian tree canopy at fine scales may enhance habitat quality in multiuse urban reserves. Our results demonstrate that effects of climate change on avian populations must be considered synergistically with land-use and land-cover characteristics of the urban landscape, including tree canopy cover and level of human disturbance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study conducted on a non-migratory population of Mourning Doves in northeast Tucson, Arizona. Topics discussed include the reason that the Mourning Dove has been studied extensively throughout its range in North America, the timing and molt of secondary feathers of juvenile Mourning Doves, and findings on trapping from September through December 18, 2013.

For mammals, acetylcholine (ACh) promotes endothelium-dependent vasodilation primarily through nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin-mediated pathways, with varying reliance on endothelial-derived hyperpolarizing factors. Currently, no studies have been conducted on small systemic arteries from wild birds. We hypothesized that ACh-mediated vasodilation of isolated small arteries from mourning doves ( Zenaida macroura) would likewise depend on endothelial-derived factors. Small resistance mesenteric and cranial tibial (c. tibial) arteries (80-150 μm, inner diameter) were cannulated and pre-constricted to 50 % of resting inner diameter with phenylephrine then exposed to increasing concentrations of ACh (10-10 M) or the NO donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP; 10-10 M). For mesenteric arteries, ACh-mediated vasodilation was significantly blunted with the potassium channel antagonist tetraethylammonium chloride (TEA, 10 mM); whereas responses were only moderately impaired with endothelial disruption or inhibition of prostaglandins (indomethacin, 10 μM). In contrast, endothelial disruption as well as exposure to TEA largely abolished vasodilatory responses to ACh in c. tibial arteries while no effect of prostaglandin inhibition was observed. For both vascular beds, responses to ACh were moderately dependent on the NO signaling pathway. Inhibition of NO synthase had no impact, despite complete reversal of phenylephrine-mediated tone with SNP, whereas inhibition of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) caused minor impairments. Endothelium-independent vasodilation also relied on potassium channels. In summary, ACh-mediated vasodilation of mesenteric and c. tibial arteries occurs through the activation of potassium channels to induce hyperpolarization with moderate reliance on sGC. Prostaglandins likewise play a small role in the vasodilatory response to ACh in mesenteric arteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advent of the usage of primary fibroblasts in comparative and evolutionary biology, it is important for researchers to know the extent to which cells might be altered during the culturing process and how much species might differ in response to cell culture. We compared early changes in cell size and lipid composition of primary dermal fibroblasts grown at physiologically relevant oxygen concentrations (5% O2) from wild-caught species of birds. Fibroblasts from American Robins ( Turdus migratorius L., 1766) and Bobwhite Quails ( Colinus virginianus (L., 1758)) increased in size early in the culture process and cells from all five species of wild-caught birds exhibited changes in lipid-class composition. The two most common phospholipids, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine, increased in concentration in all species between early passages and later passages of fibroblasts. Some less abundant lipid species, such as cardiolipin and sphingomyelin, exhibited similar concentrations in all three passages that we measured. Other lipid classes, such as cholesterol, increased in some species in later passages and decreased in others. Although results may vary with cell-culture conditions, this study points to a need for researchers comparing multiple species to take precautions when using cell culture, such as experimenting on the earliest possible passage of cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensive harvests have the potential to greatly affect local mourning dove ( Zenaida macroura) populations, a popular gamebird and songbird. To evaluate if recruitment was commensurate with harvest, we applied a ratio-based method to estimate local and statewide mourning dove recruitment across 7 public hunting areas in Missouri from 2005 to 2011. We estimated recruitment from preharvest adult sex ratios and harvest age ratios that incorporated various methods to address potential inherent biases (e.g., bias in the adults of unknown sex in preharvest samples, bias in unknown age wings, and local differential vulnerability; DV). Data from 356 radio-marked doves revealed a DV rate, where hatch year doves were, on average 2.7× more likely to be harvested than adult doves. Recruitment estimates for local areas were highly variable and in some cases, biologically unrealistic (e.g., >10 offspring/female), because of small preharvest sample sizes. However, data pooled statewide provided recruitment estimates of 3.1 offspring/female (±0.3 SE) or 4.1 offspring/female (±0.3 SE), assuming samples of unknown sex doves were female biased or male biased, respectively. Although statewide estimates agree with directly observed rates, the sex ratios and differential vulnerability comprising them vary considerably from what has been previously assumed. Whether preharvest sex ratios are biased from trapping methods has 2 important implications; either regional approaches have overestimated recruitment or the number of females in Missouri's population is much less than originally thought. Because each of these scenarios are important to understanding the effects of regional harvest management on Missouri's dove population, they highlight the importance of a better understanding of biases involved in estimating recruitment. © 2012 The Wildlife Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shrubs, such as mesquite ( Prosopis spp.) and cholla ( Opuntia spp.), now dominate fire-suppressed grasslands in southwestern North America. Responses of birds to prescribed burning of the shortgrass prairie in this region are poorly understood. We examined daily survival rates of mourning dove ( Zenaida macroura) and lark sparrow ( Chondestes grammacus) nests in an experimental landscape (4,811 ha) of spatially replicated, inter-annual fire frequencies (burning every 2 yr, 4 yr, or 10 yr) near Amarillo, Texas. Herbaceous habitat structure was most developed in infrequently burned plots, but shrub densities were less variable among the burn treatments. We modeled daily nest survival (DSR) against burn frequency, shrub density at nest sites, and nest stage (incubation or nestling). Daily survival of mourning dove nests was not well-related to any measured covariate, but lark sparrow DSR was negatively related to the duration of inter-annual burn frequency. In semiarid grasslands heavily inundated with shrubs, prescribed burning may positively influence the nest success of some bird species. © 2011 The Wildlife Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Federal migratory bird bands have been inscribed with a postal address and toll-free telephone number (toll-free bands) since 1995 for their reporting, but in 2007 the postal mail address was replaced with an internet address (web-address bands). The reporting rate of web-address bands is unknown, and knowledge of band reporting probabilities is an integral part of bird band-recovery studies designed to obtain unbiased estimates of harvest rates and recovery rates if use of band types differs across space and time. We estimated web-address band reporting probabilities for mourning doves ( Zenaida macroura) in the United States by comparing the relative recovery rate (ratio) of web-address to toll-free bands and applying this as an adjustment factor to the known reporting probabilities of toll-free bands. Cooperators banded 132,386 doves representing 57,982 (44%) web-address and 74,404 (56%) toll-free bands in July and August during 2008-2010 across 34 states, 12 regions, and 3 management units. Of the birds banded, 4,642 (3.5%) were direct recoveries, as a result of being shot, and all but 3 were reported via telephone or internet. Nationally, internet reporting accounted for 16.3% of toll-free bands and 42.9% of web-address bands recovered. Web-address bands had a greater recovery rate than toll-free bands (ratio = 1.081, SE = 0.027). We found some evidence of spatial variation in ratio estimates at management unit and regional scales, but the variation was primarily at the regional level where it was not great (range = 1.015-1.213) and statistical support for this variation was not particularly strong (SE = 0.129). Nationally, the web-address band reporting probability was 0.535 (SE = 0.021), an absolute increase of 0.040 compared to the reporting probability of toll-free bands. The additional reporting probability of web-address bands relative to toll-free bands must be accounted for in band-recovery studies used to obtain estimates of harvest rates and recovery rates if use of band types differs across space and time for mourning doves and possibly other species. © 2011 The Wildlife Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Riparian forests of the American Southwest are especially prone to changes in composition and structure due to natural and anthropogenic factors. To determine how breeding mourning doves ( Zenaida macroura) respond to these changes, we examined nest site use and nest survival in control plots, fuel reduction plots before and after mechanical thinning, and post-wildfire sites. The greatest number of nests (50%) were located in post-wildfire sites where resprouted vegetation and woody debris provided numerous nest sites in the understory. We found fewer nests in post-treatment fuel reduction plots (17%), where most were constructed in cottonwoods, and an intermediate number of nests in control and pre-treatment plots (33%), where most were constructed in exotic plants. The best-supported logistic-exposure nest survival model indicated that survival varied among years and with date. Models containing effects of forest type, study block, and nest site selection received little support, suggesting that survival was constant among plot locations, disturbance types, and nest sites. Our nest survival estimates were low relative to those from other studies, but productivity could offset mortality if adults make numerous nest attempts each year. Our results highlight the utility of woody vegetation and debris as understory nest sites for mourning doves and other riparian birds. Managers should devise methods to preserve or reestablish these nest sites when conducting fuel reduction, exotic vegetation removal, or post-fire restoration activities. © 2011 The Wildlife Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report that an adult-sized Zenaida macroura (Mourning Dove), presumably a parent, rapidly decreased risk taken in defense of a juvenile as the likelihood of predation to the juvenile increased. We attribute this decrease in risk taken to (1) the parent's perception that the risk of predation had increased to the extent that a continuation of defensive behaviors would not prevent the death of the juvenile, and (2) its attempt to minimize its own risk of death. It may be that there is a threshold beyond which Mourning Dove parents will forgo the risk of additional defense of offspring in favor of making another reproductive attempt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Plasma glucose (PGlu) concentrations in birds are 1.5–2 times higher than those of mammals of similar body mass. In mammals, sustained elevations of PGlu lead to oxidative stress and free radical-mediated scavenging of endogenous vasodilators (e.g., nitric oxide), contributing to elevated blood pressure. Despite the relatively high PGlu levels in birds, they appear resistant to the development of oxidative stress in tissues such as the heart, brain and kidneys. To our knowledge no information exists on oxidative stress susceptibility in the resistance vasculature of birds. Therefore, we compared endogenous antioxidant mechanisms in the resistance vasculature of mourning doves (MODO; Zenaida macroura) and rats (Rattus norvegicus). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) were assessed with the fluorescent indicator 7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate, acetyl ester in mesenteric arteries from rats and wild-caught MODO. Despite having significantly higher PGlu than rats, there were no significant differences in ROS levels between mesenteric arteries from rats or doves. Although superoxide dismutase and catalase activities were lower in the plasma, total antioxidant capacity, uric acid, vitamin E (α-tocopherol), and carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin) were significantly higher in MODO than in rats. Thus, compared to rats, MODO have multiple circulating antioxidants that may prevent the development of oxidative stress in the vasculature. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Previous field studies of hunter-harvested mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) have reported the percentage of birds with ingested lead shot as 0.2-6.5%. To reduce the uncertainty concerning the number of doves that ingest shot, we conducted an experiment to test the proportion of mourning doves that ingested lead shot on the bare soil of a disked field (typical of a managed dove field) to simulate more natural feeding conditions. In each of 3 treatment groups of 80 birds, we exposed 35 birds to low-density lead shot (1.5 million shot/ha), and 35 birds to high-density lead shot (29.5 million shot/ha), and 10 birds served as controls (no shot). We dosed 5 positive control birds with 2 lead shot each in trials 2 and 3. We scattered lead shot and mixed seed on the loosely packed soil of treatment cages and after 4 days of exposure, 2.9% of doves voluntarily ingested ⩾1 lead shot. The proportion of birds that ingested shot when exposed to the highdensity shot treatment (4.9%) was not different (P = 0.098) from that of the low-density shot treatment (1.0%). Lead concentrations in liver, kidneys, and blood reached maxima of 94.402 ppm, 346.033 ppm, and 13.883 ppm wet mass, respectively. Differences in delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) activity, packed cell volume, and heterophil:lymphocyte ratio (H:L) were greater posttreatment in doves that had ingested shot than in those that did not. The risk posed to mourning doves from lead shot ingestion can be reduced by banning lead shot on management areas or dove fields or disking fields after hunting season to reduce shot availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Dynamic changes in integumentary color occur in cases as diverse as the neurologically controlled iridiphores of cephalopod skin and the humidity-responsive cuticles of longhorn beetles. By contrast, feather colors are generally assumed to be relatively static, changing by small amounts only over periods of months. However, this assumption has rarely been tested even though structural colors of feathers are produced by ordered nanostructures that are analogous to those in the aforementioned dynamic systems. Feathers are neither innervated nor vascularized and therefore any color change must be caused by external stimuli. Thus, we here explore how feathers of iridescent mourning doves Zenaida macroura respond to a simple stimulus: addition and evaporation of water. After three rounds of experimental wetting and subsequent evaporation, iridescent feather color changed hue, became more chromatic and increased in overall reflectance by almost 50%. To understand the mechanistic basis of this change, we used electron microscopy to examine macro- and nanostructures before and after treatment. Transmission electron microscopy and transfer matrix thin-film models revealed that color is produced by thin-film interference from a single (∼335nm) layer of keratin around the edge of feather barbules, beneath which lies a layer of air and melanosomes. After treatment, the most striking morphological difference was a twisting of colored barbules that exposed more of their surface area for reflection, explaining the observed increase in brightness. These results suggest that some plumage colors may be more malleable than previously thought, leading to new avenues for research on dynamic plumage color. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Adaptations that minimize the effects of stress are important components of avian development and have a role in structuring the relationship between development and fitness. I examined the effect of experimental manipulations of developmental stress during the nestling and fledgling stages on weight gain, growth in structural size, and take-off flight speed of juvenile mourning doves Zenaida macroura. Brood size was manipulated during the nestling stage (≤11 days) and feeding rates during the fledgling stage (13-25 days) using a full factorial design. Effects of nutritional stress differed between the two treatments and depended on the response that was measured and the age at which it was measured. Treatment effects on flight ability were delayed and were greater for the treatment during the nestling stage than during the fledgling stage. Immediate treatment effects were greater than delayed effects on weight and size. Young were able to minimize effects of stress on flight ability at early ages when they would be most vulnerable to predation. However, by 90 days birds from enlarged broods were slower and flight time at 90 days was negatively correlated with weight and size at 25 days. There was no evidence for a cost of compensatory growth after experimental treatments ended on flight ability at 90 days. Results suggest that the effects of stress occur in a hierarchical manner across phenotypic components and that at early ages flight ability is prioritized through phenotypic plasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three of the 4 forms of albinism that occur in avifauna have been detected in Zenaida macroura (Mourning Dove). Albinism is rare in this species, and the incidence rate of each age and sex cohort is not well known. Consequently, we examined the pigmentation of Mourning Doves encountered in the Coastal Plain of South Carolina, and classified the age and sex of all individuals. One adult male Mourning Dove had unusually light coloration of some feathers and the upper mandible. This pigmentation is consistent with partial albinism. This was the only individual out of 10,749 examined that appeared to be albinistic. This low incidence rate of albinism supports the conclusion that this condition is relatively rare in Mourning Doves (Mirarchi 1993). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the potential disease risks posed by resident Columbiformes to the reintroduction of the Socorro Dove Zenaida graysoni to Socorro Island, Mexico, the endemic Socorro Ground Dove Columbina passehna socorrensis and the recently arrived Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura, were screened for ecto- and endoparsites, haemosporidia, Trichomonas gallinae, Chlamydophila psittaci and avian pox. All of the Mourning Doves and Socorro Ground Doves sampled appeared healthy upon capture. We detected Haemoproteus spp. in 88% of Mourning Dove and 30% of Socorro Ground Dove samples using microscopy. Two polymerase chain reaction (PCR) DNA amplification methods detected either Haemoproteus spp. or Plasmodium spp. Pooling results from both tests yielded positives in 100% of the Mourning Doves and 52% of the Socorro Ground Doves. A nested PCR detected Leucocytozoon spp. in 94% of the Mourning Doves and 61% of the Socorro Ground Doves sampled. Thus, at least two genera of haemosporidia are present in columbids of Socorro Island. Microscopy for T. gallinae yielded positives in 33% of Mourning Dove and 30% of Socorro Ground Dove samples. C. psittaci was not detected using PCR on either cloacal swab samples or tissue samples from tested Mourning Doves or Socorro Ground Doves. Necropsies revealed neither lesions indicative of the wet form of avian pox, nor internal lesions associated with trichomoniasis. These results suggest that Socorro Doves selected for reintroduction should be screened carefully to evaluate potential immunological challenges by native haemosporidians and to avoid introduction of other diseases apparently absent from native Columbiformes on Socorro Island. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We tested whether presence of white-winged doves (Zenaida asiatica) and mourning doves (Z. macroura) in South Texas, USA, was associated with any of the land cover types recorded in the 2001 National Land Classification Database. We used the point-transect method to conduct presence-absence surveys for both species at 236 points encompassing 744 observations. Within predefined land cover types surrounding each survey point, we used Geographic Information Systems to determine the proportions of each land cover type present. We used randomization tests to compare proportions of land cover types present at points with and without doves. We used Program DISTANCE to estimate dove densities at survey points and to test whether certain land cover types were associated with greater dove densities. Our results indicated white-winged dove occurrence in South Texas was positively associated with urban land and cropland, whereas mourning dove occurrence was positively associated with cropland. For land cover types found to be associated with dove presence, estimated density for each dove species increased as the proportion of associated land cover type increased. These results can assist wildlife biologists in the development of a more efficient and targeted protocol for censusing doves. In addition, our methods can be applied to other species across several geographic areas and landscape scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined key factors thought to influence Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) nest density (nests/ha) in Blue Oak woodlands (Quercus douglasii), riparian woodlands (Salix spp., Populus fremontii), and commercial walnut (Juglans spp.) orchards in northern California (north of UTM: Zone 51N, 324397E, 4207703N, datum WGS84). We hypothesized that nest density could be used to characterize the suitability of habitats for breeding Mourning Doves because nest success has often been shown to not vary predictably by habitat type. Because weather does affect nest success, we examined the influence of spring rainfall and ambient temperature, as well as habitat on nest density. We recorded all Mourning Dove nests found in surveys conducted every 3rd wk from mid- April to mid-August, which encompassed the nesting season, in each of 6 to 10 randomly placed survey plots in each of 4 study areas during 1992-1995, with a supplemental survey during September 1994. Survey date, habitat type, and spring weather affected period nest density (PND; mean number of all active nests/ha present during any given survey); and habitat type and weather affected cumulative nest density (CND; total number of different nests produced annually/ha). Seasonally, PND was relatively low in April, high from May to July, lower in August, and zero by September. Riparian woodlands tended to support higher PND and CND compared to walnut orchards and Blue Oak woodlands in that order. This effect was pronounced during the warm-dry springs of 1992 and 1994, but was not always evident during the relatively cool-wet springs of 1993 and 1995 (weather characterized relative to April mean high temperature and March to May mean rainfall). The best predictive model (lowest AICc) for PND contained a quadratic trend with survey timing, and effects due to habitat type, high temperature and rainfall deviations from long-term average, number of rain-days, and tree density. The best model for CND contained habitat, temperature, rainfall, rain-days, and tree density. Nest success increased at a declining rate as nest density increased in Blue Oak and riparian woodlands, demonstrating probable density-dependent resource or mortality limits on nest success that did not affect nest density within the ranges we recorded. Nest density measures should be useful to land managers in assessing responses of nesting Mourning Doves to available nesting habitats and local spring weather. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined results from the first national-scale effort to estimate mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) age ratios and developed a simple, efficient, and generalizable methodology for calibrating estimates. Our method predicted age classes of unknown-age wings based on backward projection of molt distributions from fall harvest collections to preseason banding. We estimated 1) the proportion of late-molt individuals in each age class, and 2) the molt rates of juvenile and adult birds. Monte Carlo simulations demonstrated our estimator was minimally biased. We estimated model parameters using 96,811 wings collected from hunters and 42,189 birds banded during preseason from 68 collection blocks in 22 states during the 2005-2007 hunting seasons. We also used estimates to derive a correction factor, based on latitude and longitude of samples, which can be applied to future surveys. We estimated differential vulnerability of age classes to harvest using data from banded birds and applied that to harvest age ratios to estimate population age ratios. Average, uncorrected age ratio of known-age wings for states that allow hunting was 2.25 (SD 0.85) juveniles:adult, and average, corrected ratio was 1.91 (SD 0.68), as determined from harvest age ratios from an independent sample of 41,084 wings collected from random hunters in 2007 and 2008. We used an independent estimate of differential vulnerability to adjust corrected harvest age ratios and estimated the average population age ratio as 1.45 (SD 0.52), a direct measure of recruitment rates. Average annual recruitment rates were highest east of the Mississippi River and in the northwestern United States, with lower rates between. Our results demonstrate a robust methodology for calibrating recruitment estimates for mourning doves and represent the first large-scale estimates of recruitment for the species. Our methods can be used by managers to correct future harvest survey data to generate recruitment estimates for use in formulating harvest management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]