Interesting dove recaptures

[bigwater]

What's the farthest band return you've
Seen? Your Florida bird??

[Wildfowler]

Obviously, we need a resident dove season prior to the migratory the season. Our dove last longer and don't seem to leave the state. How about something like a seven day season opening September 1 every year? 25 Dove limit.

[Wingman]

This is a juvenile bird. You can tell by the light-colored edges of the coverts. Doves molt one wing feather at a time on each wing, unlike waterfowl that molt all flight feathers at one time and are flightless during that period.

The outside feather is #10. Count backwards to toward the body and the 3rd primary is just coming in. It's the short dark one. It takes roughly 13 days for each feather to molt and the molt starts approximately at 30 days of age. That means this bird was hatched approximately 69 days ago, or May 30th. http://www.internationaldovesociety.com ... nation.htm