Injury due to leg bands in willow flycatchers
Journal of Field Ornithology
By: J.A. Sedgwick and R.J. Klus
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Abstract
We report an apparently unusually high incidence of leg injury in Willow Flycatchers (Empidonax traillii) as a result of banding and color banding. Color bands and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) bands applied to Willow Flycatchers from 1988-1995 resulted in an overall leg injury rate of 9.6% to birds returning to our study areas in subsequent years. Most injuries occurred on legs with only color band(s) (58.3%) or on legs with both a USFWS band and a color band (35%); only 6.7% of injuries (4/60) were due to USFWS bands alone, yielding an overall USFWS band injury rate of only 0.6%. Injuries ranged from severe (swollen, bleeding legs; a missing foot) to relatively minor (irritations on the tarsus). Amputation of the foot occurred in 33.9% of the cases. Return rates of adult injured birds in the year(s) following injury were significantly lower than for the population at large.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Injury due to leg bands in willow flycatchers |
| Series title | Journal of Field Ornithology |
| Volume | 68 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Year Published | 1997 |
| Language | English |
| Larger Work Type | Article |
| Larger Work Subtype | Journal Article |
| Larger Work Title | Journal of Field Ornithology |
| First page | 622 |
| Last page | 629 |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |