Effects of neck bands on survival of greater snow geese

Neck bands are a widely used marker in goose research. However; few studies have investigated a possible negative effect of this marl;er on survival. We tested the effect of neck bands on the survival of adult female greater snow geese (Chen caerulescens atlantica) by marking birds with either a nec k band and a metal leg band or a leg band only on Bylot Island (Nunavut, fo rmerly included in the Northwest Territories, Canada) from 1990 to 1996. An nual survival was estimated using leg-band recoveries in fall and winter an d using neckband sightings in spring and fall. Recapture rates were estimat ed using summer recaptures. Using recovery data, the selected model yielded a survival similar for die neck-banded and leg-banded only birds (S = 0.84 5 +/- 0.070 vs. S = 0.811 +/- 0.107). The hypothesis of equality of surviva l between the 2 groups was easily accepted under most constraints imposed o n survival or recovery rates. However, failure to account for a different d irect recovery rate for neck-banded birds would lead us to incorrectly conc lude a possible negative effect of neck bands on survival. Using sighting d ata, mean annual survival of neck-banded birds was independently estimated at 0.833 +/- 0.057, a value very similar to that estimated with band-recove ry analysis. Raw recapture rates during summer were significantly lower for neck-banded birds compared to those marked with leg bands only (4.6% vs. 1 2.1%), but in this analysis, survival, site fidelity reproductive status, a nd recapture rates were confounded. We conclude that neck bands did not aff ect survival of greater snow geese, but could possibly affect other demogra phic traits such as breeding propensity and emigration.