RACING PIGEONS â IMPACT OF RAPTOR PREDATION

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p>0.05), although at the Federation level the general trend was for a decrease in training losses between 1986 and 1996 (Table 3.6). The number of old birds lost racing increased significantly between 1986 and 1996 (W= 14.96, df=438, p
Glasgow loft, which spanned the greatest time period, was discontinuous with data missing for five individual years within that period (1985, 1989-1991 and 1999). Data were examined for any pattern in losses over the respective periods. Data were expressed as the total percentage of race-flights lost annually (Figure 3.3), and the total percentage of races in which birds were lost annually (Figure 3.4). At the Lanarkshire loft for example, in 1994 pigeons took part in a total of 318 race-flights (1 race-flight = 1 bird flown in 1 race) in which 50 birds (representing 15.7% of total race-flights) were lost. Also, pigeons took part in a total of 16 races with one or more bird being lost from each race (i.e. 100% races with losses). The general trends at these lofts seem to show a marked reduction in losses at the Ayrshire loft in late 1980s and early 1990s, a gradual reduction in losses at the Lanarkshire loft over the 1990s and early 2000s, but in contrast a marked increase in losses in the 1990s and early 2000s at the Glasgow loft. Losses presented in the graphs are not directly comparable with data on reported losses from the 31 lofts presented in section 3.2. The race diaries do not report the total loft population at the start of each race season. Losses, therefore, are related to the total annual race-flights rather than the loft population, as is the case for the 31 study lofts. However, a comparison can be made in terms of the actual number of birds lost. The total mean number of birds lost annually at each of the three lofts were: Ayrshire 27 (range 10-69), Lanarkshire 49 (range 33-64), Glasgow 6 (range 0- 16). For 2002 only, the total annual losses were 42 birds and 8 birds for the Lanarkshire and Glasgow loft respectively. In comparison, total race losses for the 31 study lofts averaged 44 birds (range 9-90). 3.4.3 Discussion A series of race diaries belonging to loft-owners were examined for patterns in the losses of racing pigeons over an extended period of years. The intention was to closely analyse this data and attempt to correlate it to other factors including changes in the national and regional peregrine populations. However, data of a suitable quality was extractable from the diaries of only three loft owners. Each of the lofts was located in a different region and the data covered different time periods. For these reasons, proper analysis and comparison were impossible due to the limited quality and quantity of the data. Apart from its historical significance to the respective loftowners, the data does not contribute towards an understanding of patterns in the losses amongst the wider racing pigeon fraternity. 37
Page 1: RACING PIGEONS - IMPACT OF RAPTOR P
Page 5 and 6: CONTENTS PAGE 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Page 7: 6.3 DETERRENTS USED IN OTHER CIRCUM
Page 10 and 11: OB=48). Collectively, however, the
Page 12 and 13: • The risk of sparrowhawk predati
Page 14 and 15: 1.5 REVIEW OF DETERRENTS • A revi
Page 16 and 17: • Overall reported losses to spar
Page 18 and 19: 2. INTRODUCTION 2.1 BACKGROUND Pere
Page 20 and 21: During the Second World War (1939-4
Page 22 and 23: Table 2.1. Changes in the peregrine
Page 24 and 25: website, 2002). In South Wales, Dix
Page 26 and 27: 2.5.2 Sparrowhawk Diet Sparrowhawk
Page 28 and 29: In 1996 a total of 34,685 birds fro
Page 30 and 31: Dixon (2002) also estimated the num
Page 32 and 33: more likely to follow natural featu
Page 34 and 35: 3. TOTAL REPORTED LOSSES FROM SCOTT
Page 36 and 37: 3.3a). The circumstances of losses
Page 38 and 39: Figure 3.2. Location of lofts used
Page 40 and 41: Table 3.3 Regional comparison of ol
Page 42 and 43: would be expected as a consequence
Page 46 and 47: Ayrshire Loft 25 20 15 10 5 0 1981
Page 48 and 49: 4. REPORTED LOSSES TO SPARROWHAWKS
Page 50 and 51: Table 4.1. Summary of reported loss
Page 52 and 53: Table 4.2. Comparison of reported l
Page 54 and 55: irds, a mean of 0.91 birds per loft
Page 56 and 57: 5. LOSSES TO PEREGRINES AWAY FROM L
Page 58 and 59: Figure 5.1. Regional distribution o
Page 60 and 61: crags were also examined unless it
Page 62 and 63: also died between the time of the r
Page 64 and 65: 5.2.3 Discussion It was always reco
Page 66 and 67: 5.4 ESTIMATE OF POTENTIAL STRAYS 5.
Page 68 and 69: Figure 5.5. Principal race routes f
Page 70 and 71: 5.4.3 Discussion The rate of potent
Page 72 and 73: These 86 questionnaire returns were
Page 74 and 75: Table 6.2. Frequency of multiple lo
Page 76 and 77: within the area of application. The
Page 78 and 79: Table 6.6. Management techniques wh
Page 80 and 81: 1986). Peregrines in Britain, likew
Page 82 and 83: pitched wail and may illuminate at
Page 84 and 85: development to ensure that the chem
Page 86 and 87: deterrents were regularly moved and
Page 88 and 89: located at another loft) and two un
Page 90 and 91: other stimuli. Essentially, the mor
Page 92 and 93: 7. FIELD TRIALS OF RACE DETERRENTS
Page 94 and 95:
Table 7.1. Return rates of racing p
Page 96 and 97:
8. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Page 98 and 99:
9. FUTURE RESEARCH Accurate recordi
Page 100 and 101:
Trials of loft-based deterrents The
Page 102 and 103:
Conover, M.R. 1979. Response of bir
Page 104 and 105:
Inglis, I.R. 1980. Visual bird scar
Page 106 and 107:
Nicolaus, L.K., Herrera, J., Nicola
Page 108 and 109:
Toyne, E.P. 1998. Breeding season d
Page 110 and 111:
pigeons are available to peregrines
Page 112 and 113:
Daily Food Intake (DFI) Redpath & T
Page 114 and 115:
Reliability of the available data T
Page 116 and 117:
Estimates of potential peregrine ki
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RACING PIGEONS â IMPACT OF RAPTOR PREDATION