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Question
Dear Roger,
What is the Mourning Doves lifespan?
Records and research show that free-living doves live between 7 and 11 years of age. However, banding research confirms a longevity of much longer than that. The mourning dove is actually one of the 10 longest lived free-living species in the Bird Banding Lab Database, holding a record of 31 years 4 months.
On the other hand, the survival rate or lifespan of doves in shooting states produce much lower survival rate data. Banding studies reveal that life spans of mourning doves banded in US [dove hunting states] average about 1.0 year for immatures and 1.5 years for adults.The suspected reason for the lower annual survival rate of both immature and adult doves is human hunting pressure.
Roger Lederer at Ornithology.com
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| Comment | Dear Roger, You do an excellent job answering questions, but mistaken some of my Northern Gannet questions for homework questions. But could you please answer them for me? Keep up the good work! | ||
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Answers by Expert:
Roger Lederer
Expertise
Any and all about WILD birds - the science of ornithology. Information about birdwatching, ecology, conservation, migration, behavior, banding, rehabilitation, feeding, songs, binoculars, identification, and careers in ornithology. No questions about pet or caged birds, please.
Experience
Have a PhD and over forty years as a professional ornithologist - research, teaching, author, speaker, webmaster of Ornithology.com . Have written thirty scientific papers, three bird field guides, a textbook in ecology and two recent books entitled "Amazing Birds" and "Birds of New England". Have traveled to over 90 countries watching birds.
Education/Credentials
PhD in Zoology/Ornithology; Emeritus Professor of Biological Sciences; former Dean of the College of Natural Sciences at California State University, Chico
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