Minor mist-net injuries do not affect apparent annual survival in Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)

Researchers commonly use mist nets to study avian populations. Although studies have concluded that the risk of mortality from netting is low, few have examined the effect of minor injuries on long term survival. We used data on Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) consisting of 206 birds with leg injuries and 206 non-injured birds caught at the same time during mark-recapture in southwestern Nebraska, USA, 1986-2013. The injuries were primarily cuts from mist-net tangling around the legs and toes and often produced a small amount of bleeding. Mark-recapture analysis showed that the probability of apparent annual survival of injured birds was 0.52, which was similar to that of 0.51 for non-injured birds. Our results suggest that small cuts to the legs and toes of Cliff Swallows during mist-netting do not result in long-term harm and support the widely held assumption that mist-netting is in general safe even when minor injuries occur.