Movement patterns of adult Interior Band-tailed Pigeons (Patagioenas fasciata) in New Mexico

Improved knowledge of movements of the Interior population of Band-tailed Pigeons (Patagioenas fasciata) is needed to inform management decisions. We investigated daily and seasonal movements of adult Band-tailed Pigeons marked with satellite transmitters in 2015-2016. Band-tailed Pigeons were marked at 3 geographically separate locations in Silver City, Weed, and Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA. Thirteen of 15 satellite transmitters provided sufficient data to estimate daily and seasonal movements. Mean daily movements ranged from 1.8 Ian to 17.8 km for individual Band-tailed Pigeons. Minimum distance moved between consecutive locations was less than detectable given accuracy of PTT transmitters, while the maximum distance moved between locations was 553.7 km. Seven of the 13 Band-tailed Pigeons made seasonal movements (>200 km) from their respective capture sites. Five Rand-tailed Pigeons captured in southern New Mexico traveled south into northern Mexico whereas 2 Band-tailed Pigeons captured in northern New Mexico migrated to southern New Mexico for the nonbreeding season. Our results are the first to provide detailed movement information between breeding season and nonbreeding season sites for adult Band-tailed Pigeons captured in New Mexico. This data will allow a greater understanding of daily and seasonal movements of Band-tailed Pigeons from New Mexico and will aid in more targeted, collaborative conservation and management.