Field techniques in the study of Australian pigeons and doves
Andrew Peters, Shane R. Raidal, David A. Roshier
pp. 187-197
Abstract
Pigeons and doves (Family Columbidae) represent a significant component of Australia’s avifauna, possessing unusually diverse phenotypic and behavioural characteristics. The importance of many of them as ecosystem service providers and the emergence of new threats to them in Australia and the region warrant the development of standardised research methods such as effective and humane capture and collection of biological samples. We present here techniques, including novel mist-net set-ups that we trialled for the capture of Australian pigeons and doves. These were successful in 12 out of 14 species in which attempts were made, including the arboreal Brown Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia amboinensis, Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus regina and Torresian Imperial-Pigeon Ducula spilorrhoa, as well as both escarpment-dwelling rock-pigeons Petrophassa spp. Methods for the collection of biological samples are also presented.
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