News - 2004 Mourning Dove Breeding Population Status Report


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	2004 Mourning Dove Breeding Population Status Report July 1, 2004 - US Fish and Wildlife Service Population Trend Overview: Significant declines confirmed in all three management Units over the 39 year period. Dove populations from groups of non-hunting states in the Northeast and Upper Mideast had much higher annual survival rates. Over 10 years, Indiana and Ohio noted downward trends. The following report consists of three Management Units: Eastern Management Unit (EMU), the state of Michigan is part of the EMU and consists of 27 states, dove hunting is permitted in 19 of those states. Central Management Unit (CMU), consists of 14 states, dove hunting is permitted in 12 states. Western Management Unit (WMU), consists of 7 states, all states permit dove hunting. Excerpts from 2004 Mourning Dove Breeding Population Status Report Between 2003 and 2004, the average number of doves heard per route decreased significantly in the Eastern and Central Management Unit. Over the 39-year period, all three Units exhibited significant declines. In contrast, for doves seen over the 10-year period, a significant increase was found in the Eastern Unit while no trends were found in the Central and Western Units. Over 39 years, no trend was found for doves seen in the Eastern and Central Units while a decrease was indicated for the Western Unit. Although not known precisely, the fall population has been estimated to be about 475 million (Dunks et al. 1982, Tomlinson et al 1988). However as there is evidence of population decreases since this estimate was made from data collected in the 1970's, we believe that the mourning dove population has declined to slightly more than 400 million in the United States. The EMU was further divided into 2 groups of states for analyses. States permitting dove hunting were combined into one group and those prohibiting dove hunting into another. Wisconsin became a hunting state for the first time in 2003. EMU Population Trends: 10 and 39 year -- Analyses indicated significant declines over the most recent 10 and 39 year periods for the combined hunting states. In the combined non-hunting states, no trend was found over either time period. For the Unit, no significant trend was found over 10 years, but a significant decline was indicated for the long-term period. Over 39 years, a significant increase was detected for the combined non-hunting states; no trend was shown for the combined hunting states or the Unit. 2003 to 2004 Population Changes -- The average number of doves heard per route in this Unit decreased 7.3%. The index also decreased significantly between years [03 and 04] in the combined hunting states and in the combined non-hunting states. Over 10 years, increases were found in Wisconsin (a non-hunting state 9 out of the 10 year trend). Between 1966 and 2004, an increase was noted in New England (non-hunting states)...while a downward trend was noted in Indiana and Ohio (hunting states). CMU Population Trends: 10 and 39 year -- No significant trend in doves heard was indicated for the Unit over the short term, but a decline was indicated over the long-term. The population increased in Iowa...a decrease was noted for Minnesota... 2003 to 2004 Population Changes -- The average number of doves heard per route in the Unit decreased significantly between the 2 years. WMU Population Trends: 10 and 39 year -- No significant trend in numbers of doves heard was indicated over 10 years although a significant decline was apparent over 39 years. Analyses of doves seen gave the same results. All states except Idaho and Washington have a decline between 1966 and 2004. 2002 to 2003 Population Changes -- The number of doves heard per route did not change significantly (population at a historic low). Survey Results: The major differences occur in the Eastern Unit. For the 10-year period, 1994-03 the CCS indicated a significant decline in doves heard for the combined hunting states in the EMU...For the non-hunting states, both the CCS and BBS showed a significant increase. Over 38 years, results were very similar with both surveys for the Central and Western Management Units indicating significant declines. The combined hunting states of the EMU, the CCS showed a significant decline... State Surveys: In general mourning dove harvest in the EMU was relatively constant from 1966-1987. In the CMU, although hunting pressure and harvest varied widely among states, dove harvest in the Unit generally increased between 1966-87. Dove harvest in the WMU has declined significantly over the years following a decline in the breeding population. In summary, it appears that the dove harvest throughout the United States is on the decrease...more doves are harvested than all other migratory game birds combined. Harvest Dynamics (HIP): Wildlife professionals have long recognized that reliable harvest estimates are needed to monitor the impact of hunting...It is important to note that estimates do not necessarily indicated that the harvest has declined from past years when harvest estimates were compiled from state surveys. And, they cannot be compared directly with the earlier estimates since they are based on a different sampling scheme. The reliability of these estimates depends primarily upon the quality of the sample frame provided by each participating state. If a state's sample frame does not include all migratory bird hunters in that state, the survey results underestimate hunter activity and harvest for the state.

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