1 of 6 The following protocols will be used when capturing any species or subspecies of wild game birds in the order Galliformes (turkeys, pheasant, or quail). We provide specific protocols for wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) and northern bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) which will serve as guidelines for most other Galliformes though special additional considerations may be required for some Threatened and Endangered species. For any animal that is to be released to the wild, the prime consideration shall be that the procedure will have minimal effect on the animal s subsequent survival and reproductive potential. All protocols described here are current accepted practices established under the American Ornithologists Union Ad Hoc Committee on the Use of Wild Birds in Research Guidelines (1988) (AOU Guidelines) or recommended by the American Veterinary Medical Association Panel on Euthanasia (AVMA 2000). 1) Capture a. Capture with walk-in traps Gallinaceous birds can be live-trapped at baited sites in box or cage traps (Baldwin 1947). i. Wild Turkeys Turkeys will be passively captured in walk-in traps. Live traps used for capturing wild turkey are a funnel type trap (approx. 6 wide x 8 long x 4 tall) constructed with livestock fence panels placed around the bait-site (Davis 1994). The trap is set by establishing a funnel entrance after turkeys have become accustomed to feeding at the bait inside the trap. The trap allows bird s free access to bait but the funnel design complicates egress so that turkeys cannot find their way out. Traps will be set in the crepuscular hours (from before dawn to approx. 9:00 am and from 4:00 pm to approx. 9:00 pm) and traps will remain open (NOT set) overnight and during daylight hours (Davis 1994). However, it is possible that individual birds may be in traps (with food and water) for a maximum of 6 hours. Bird movements within the trap are not restrained. Turkey poults will be caught using hand capture techniques described below. ii. Northern Bobwhite Quail- Walk-in traps for northern bobwhite quail are of similar design. They are wire mesh design (approx. 2 wide x 3 long x 10 tall) with a funnel entrance (Smith et al. 1981). Traps will be set in the crepuscular hours (from before dawn to approx 9:00 am and from 4:00 pm to approx 9:00 pm) and traps will remain open (NOT set) overnight and during the daylight hours. However, it is possible that individual birds may be in traps (with food and water) for a maximum of 6 hours. Bird movements within the trap are not restrained. Northern bobwhite quail chicks will be caught using hand capture techniques described below.
2 of 6 iii. Walk-in traps for birds will be shaded or positioned to avoid full exposure to the sun (Friend et al. 1994). b. Capture with cannon or rocket nets- This technique is widely used for turkey and waterfowl (Dill and Thornsberry 1950). i. Wild Turkeys A large, light weight net is shot at a 20 degree angle by blasting caps (cannon) or mortar projectile (rocket) over birds baited to a trap site. Sites are pre-baited with a blind established (100-200 away with a line of vision parallel to the net) to accustom birds to its presence (Grubb 1988). The net is folded flat in a line adjacent to the line of bait with the trailing edges lapped under and staked securely. Firing is accomplished by electric charge, from battery held technician/observer in the blind when the desired number and/or composition of birds are in front of the net. Trained technicians then secure the birds and remove them from the netting for measurement, marking, biological sampling, and release as described below. c. Hand Capture Gallinaceous birds are not strong fliers. Chasing and flushing them until they run instead of flying so they can then be captured on the ground with a longhandled net (approx. 120 x 120 cm net with a 3.6 m handle) is an effective method to capture northern bobwhite quail and young turkeys (Wilbur 1967). Using a spot-light at night to freeze birds on roosts prior to netting them with a long-handled net (Labisky 1969) has also been successful. We will capture turkey poults and bobwhite chicks by homing in on hens with transmitters. Coveys will be flushed or illuminated with a spotlight and then netted using a long-handled net. d. Capture with dogs- This is essentially the same procedure as hand capturing, except that trained bird dogs are used to locate birds and to flush them until they can be hand captured. 2) Handling a. Safe handling procedures, as described in the AOU Guidelines (1988), will be used for all capture, handling, blood collection, and marking procedures. i. Wild Turkeys- Net and walk-in traps can capture large numbers (more than 30) turkeys at one time. Individual turkeys will be removed from the traps or nets by hand and secured by holding both legs together behind the bird and holding the wings closed to prevent flight attempts. Turkeys will be placed in National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) or similar cardboard boxes (approx 2 wide, 3.5 long, and 3 tall) with ventilation holes to reduce potential struggling in nets or
3 of 6 traps until all captured birds can be processed. Turkeys will be restrained long enough (less than 1 hour in boxes) to age and sex individuals and take standard physiological measurements (see below). Depending upon study objectives, non-target birds (sex or age classes that are not needed for the study) will be measured and released with leg bands (see marking below) without additional handling. For target birds we take standard measures, blood samples, and attach leg bands, color collars, or radio transmitters (see below). ii. Northern Bobwhite- Northern bobwhite will be removed from walk-in traps or hand held nets by hand and secured by holding both legs together and holding the wings closed to prevent flight attempts. DeMaso and Peoples (1993) devised a simple frame with a 3.81 cm slot through which northern bobwhite quail legs are restrained that reduces struggling and flight attempts during handling. Depending upon study objectives, non-target birds (sex or age classes that are not needed for the study) will be measured and released with leg bands (see marking below) without additional handling. For target birds we take standard measurements, blood samples, and attach a leg band, color collar, or radio transmitter. (see below) 3) Standard Measures: Adult birds are sexually dimorphic and can be distinguished by plumage characteristics. Most gallinaceous birds can also be identified as juvenile or adult by plumage characteristics. Examination of primary feathers (which are molted sequentially), Rectrices, and wear on primary covert feathers is necessary to detect diagnostic characters. Standard measures for gallinaceous birds include: weights, wing length, spur and beard length of turkeys (Dimmick and Pelton 1994) 4) Blood and tissue sampling: Blood samples will be taken from adult turkeys and from northern bobwhite quail following protocols described in Dein (1984). Samples (approx. 2 ml) will be obtained from either the jugular or brachial vein using sterile 20-gauge needle. For northern bobwhite quail, blood (up to 0.25 ml) may be drawn by picking the ulnar vein and using heparinized capillary tubes to collect the sample for clinical chemistry anaylsis. All blood samples will be stored or treated in the field in the appropriate manner for the desired clinical chemistry analyses (Dein 1984). Used materials will be disposed of in approved manner (Dein 1984). 5) Marking or Radiocollaring: Butt end aluminum or colored anodized aluminum leg bands are used to mark individual birds for identification upon recapture (field observation or in-hand) (Nietfeld et al. 1994). Bands are selected for appropriate size and weight for the bird species to be marked. Since these marks are intended to remain throughout the life of the bird they must fit snugly enough to stay on juveniles but be loose enough to allow free movement up and
4 of 6 down the leg of an adult. Bands are applied with pliers, with care taken not to damage the bird s legs by bending, twisting or pulling them during the banding process. Radio transmitters are used to mark individual birds for subsequent relocation in space and time. Transmitter types, and attachment methods are widely varied but fitting the transmitter to the animal is crucial. The primary objectives are to attach transmitters so they do not affect the movements, behavior, or survival of the animal and will not fall off or be lost during the data collection period. Most species require restraint while being radio-tagged. a. Wild Turkeys- Wild juvenile and adult turkeys commonly require leg band sizes #28 (7/8 aluminum butt end tag). Turkey poults will not be marked with leg bands. Juvenile and adult turkeys will be fitted with backpack style radio transmitter packages (Samuel and Fuller 1994). We use standard (Advanced Telemetry Systems (ATS) 2 model 8:1.3 x 2/5, 75 gm, or similar) backpack mounted transmitters which are currently in use on turkeys throughout the U.S. Adhesives will be used to attach small transmitters (greater then 2% of poults body mass; see bobwhite quail package) to poults for telemetry to determine movements, habitat use, or survival over short periods (greater than 24 days) post-hatching (Johnson et al. 1991). b. Northern bobwhite- Northern bobwhite quail use leg band size #8 (1/4 aluminum butt end tag). Radio transmitters weigh less than 5% of the animal s weight. We use a standard ATS 204 (models B26 through B2477) that are approximately 1 x 75 and weight 4.9-15gms, or similar backpack or necklace mounted transmitters. Chicks will be weighed and then fitted with radio transmitters that will weigh less than 5% of the animal s weight. 6) Euthanasia a. Death is not an expected endpoint of capture and handling during most mark-recapture studies and therefore birds will be euthanized only if they are experiencing chronic distress or pain during the trapping, handling, or marking process. Relatively few of the methods reviewed by the AVMA (2000) are appropriate for wild game birds. Northern bobwhite quail and wild turkey can be effectively and humanely euthanized by cervical dislocation (requires training for birds as large as turkeys) or by decapitation (AOU 2000). Both methods are best performed after sedation or tranquilization of the animal. Birds requiring euthanasia will be administered a mixture of ketamine hydrochloride (10mg/kg body wt) and xylazine hydrocholoride (0.05 1mg/kg body wt) (Amand 1982, Kreeger 1996) prior to cervical dislocation. Birds in field situations where anesthesia is unavailable will be euthanized by gunshot to the head.
5 of 6 7) Literature American Ornithologists Union. 1988. Report of Committee on the Use of Wild Birds in Research. Auk 105(1. Suppl.): 1A-41A. American Veterinary Medical Association. 20. 2000 Report of the AVMA Panel on Euthanasia JAVMA 218(5): 669-696. Amand, W.B. 1982. Chemical immobilization of birds. Pages 199-213. In: L.Nielsen, J.C. Haigh, and M.E. Fowler eds. Chemical immobilization of North American wildlife. Wisconsin Humane Society Inc. Milwaukee. Baldwin, W.P. 1947. Trapping wild turkeys in South Carolina. Journal Wildlife Management 11:24-36. Dein, F.J. 1984. Laboratory manual of avian hematology. Association of Avian Veterinarians. East Northport, NY. 38pp. Demaso, S.J. and A.D. Peoples. 1993. A restraining device for handling northern bobwhites. Wildlife Society Bulletin 21:45-46. Dill, H.H. and W.H. Thornsberry. 1950. A cannon-projected net trap for capturing waterfowl. Journal Wildlife Management 14:132-137. Dimmick, H.H. and M.R. Pelton. 1994. Criteria of sex and age. Pages 169-214 in: T.A. Bookhout, ed. Research and Management techniques for wildlife habitats. Fifth edition. The Wildlife Society, Bethesda, Md. Fowler, M.E. 1978. Restraint and handling of wild and domestic animals. Iowa State University Press. 332pp. Grubb, T.G. 1988. A portable rocket-net system for capturing wildlife U.S Forest Service Research Note RM-484. 8pp. Jessup, D.A. W.E. Clark, and D. Hunter. 1992. Wildlife Restraint Handbook. California Department of Fish and Game. Sacramento, 151 pp. Johnson, G.D., J.L. Pebworth, and H.O. Kruger. 1991. Retention of transmitters attached to passerines using a glue-on technique. Journal of Field Ornithology 62:486-491. Kreeger, T.J. 1996. Handbook of wildlife chemical immobilization. International Wildlife Veterinary Services Inc. Laramie, WY. 342pp. Labisky, R.F. 1969. Nightlighting: its use in capturing pheasants, prairie chickens, bobwhites and cottontails. Illinois Natural History Survey Biological Notes 40. 11pp Nietfeld, M.T., M.W. Barrett, and N.Silvy. 1994. Wildlife marking techniques. Pages 140-168 in. T.A. Bookhout, ed. Research and management techniques for wildlife and habitats. Fifth edition. The Wildlife Society, Bethesda, Md.
6 of 6 Samuel, M.D. and M.R. Fuller. 1994. Wildlife radiotelemetry. Pages 370-418 in: T.A. Bookhout, ed. Research and management techniques for wildlife and habitats. Fifth edition. The Wildlife Society, Bethesda, Md. Smith, H.D., F.A. Stormer, and R.D. Godfrey, Jr. 1981. A collapsible quail trap. U.S. Forest Service Research Note RM-400. 3pp. Wilbur, S.R. 1967. Live-trapping North American upland game birds. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Special Scientific Report. Wildlife 106. 37pp.