OPTIMUM SAMPLE-SIZE ALLOCATION FOR WOOD DUCK BANDING STUDIES

Although banding programs are the most important source of information for monitoring the status of wood duck (Aix sponsa) populations, band ing quotas generally have not been achieved during the preseason perio d. LeMaster and Trost (1994) developed a model that accommodated bandi ng during an early period (15 Apr-30 Jun) in addition to the tradition al preseason period (1 Jul-15 Sep). Their analysis of existing band re covery data showed that precision of survival and recovery rates for w ood duck populations was increased by inclusion of early banded birds. My objective was to develop statistical methodology for computing opt imum allocation of effort in the 2 banding periods and to apply this m ethodology to banding programs for wood ducks. Required early period s ample sizes were large, and the relative cost had to be small before b anding in the early period became cost effective. However, summer surv ival rates and movement patterns only can be estimated using early sea son banding; hence, additional effort may still be warranted if these parameters are of importance. This methodology also can be used as a p lanning tool for the design of any study in which 2 banding periods pe r year are used.