LOCAL SURVIVAL OF DUNLIN WINTERING IN CALIFORNIA

We estimated local annual survival of 1,051 individually color-banded Dunlin (Calidris alpina) at Bolinas Lagoon, California from 1979 to 19 92. Resighting rates for birds banded as adults varied significantly a mong years, and resighting rates for first-year birds varied by sex an d year. No significant differences in local survival rates were found between males and females in any age classes. First-year birds had low er local survival rates than adults. We suspect that raptor predation accounted for much of this difference and other variation in survival rates. Adult Dunlin had lower local survival rates in the year of capt ure than in subsequent years. Variation in resighting of some groups o f individuals including transient Dunlin may account for some differen ces. However, capture and release of Dunlin may induce short-term beha vioral changes that increase the risk of depredation by avian predator s within the first few days after capture.