A New Feature of Nesting Ecology in the Vulnerable European Turtle Dove: Nest Site and Nesting Tree Sharing with Coexisting Species at Three North African Wetlands

Abstract

Investigations of niche splitting in the European turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur) have primarily addressed feeding habitats and foraging features and been limited to conspecific species, counting laughing dove and wood pigeon. The recent degradation of natural and suitable habitats for turtle doves, particularly in North Africa, would push this species to refuge in wetlands with a variety of other bird species. The understanding of potential cohabitation between doves and other species in these less disturbed ecosystems would help in the conservation measures of this declining game. This study, conducted from early March to September between 2015 and 2017, attempted to determine which species cohabit with turtle doves in three Northwest African wetlands in Morocco and how these species select nesting sites and trees. We used detrended corresponding analysis (DCA) to test the relevance of nest site and nesting tree variables in the nest distribution of the breeding species. The obtained results show a wide sharing of nest-niche between turtle doves and 7 breeding species, especially at the intermediate zone and downstream of the rivers. The lack of competition for food resources with neighbouring species may help in this harmonious sharing of both nesting sites and nesting trees. We further suggest guidelines for future research that seek to understand the spatiotemporal dynamics of species coexisting with turtle dove in the same habitats.

The avifauna of two high atlas valleys: breeding assemblages in forest stands and open lands

“…On the contrary, the riparian trees of Black poplar did not host a high species richness like the other stand types (20 species) despite their closest location to rivers rich in water. Similar results were currently revealed in three riparian zones in Midelt (Squalli et al 2022), in which only nine breeding birds were documented. However, the low species richness in poplar stands has been reported in Europe (Le Floch and Terrasson 1995;Mourgaud 1996;Rotach 2004), which is richer in water compared with North African ecosystems threatened by aridity (Escoriza and Pascual 2021).…”

“…Equally, the diversity, and abundance of trees and bushes have favoured avian diversity in Cork oak forests of Maamora located in Northwest Morocco (Cherkaoui et al 2009). Moreover, currently, segregation of foraging resources (fruits and wild seeds in forests, water and cultivated seeds in riparian vegetation and farmlands) and nesting supports (forest trees in Holm oak and Juniper, riparian trees in Black poplar, orchards in farmlands) have revealed important effects on the distribution of birds among forest stands, riparian habitats, and farmlands and these are suggested to lead to segregation of selected habitat between breeding birds (Duron et al 2018;Mansouri et al 2022a;Squalli et al 2022) since recorded birds were different in their nesting requirements (cavity-nesting, farmland birds, and riparian species) and trophic guilds.…”

“…This is the case in most North African natural ecosystems impacted by natural and human factors (le Polain de Waroux and Lambin 2012; Chebli et al 2021). Currently, degradation of natural habitats, counting forests (Barakat et al 2018(Barakat et al , 2019 and intensification of farming activities (Hilali et al 2021) have shown adverse effects on avian species in the study area, counting the vulnerable doves impacted by human farming practices (Hanane 2016;Mansouri et al 2020;Squalli et al 2022).…”

Spatial and Temporal Monitoring of North African Turtle Doves Streptopelia turtur arenicola (Hartert, EJO, 1894): First Migrants Arrive Early and Select Nesting Trees next to Foraging Resources while Second Breeders’ Wave Breed around Earlier Nests

“…However, the nests were divided into three periods: (i) frst nesting wave (the frst breeders to colonize the orchard after arrival dates); (ii) frst breeding phase (frst massive nesting stage after the colonization of breeding orchard); and (iii) second breeding phase (second massive nest construction after the long break of the frst phase). However, we reinforced the graphical mapping with detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) to demonstrate statistically the distribution of nests inside the orchard as realized currently by Mansouri et al [8] and Squalli [52] for passerine birds and Columbidae. In our case, nesting sites in orchard counting central zone (the epicenter of the orchard), peripheryorchard (the marginal zones surrounded by other orange orchards), and periphery-cereals (marginal zones surrounded by cereals and legumes (potential foraging resources)) were considered as response variables, while distances of nests (148 nests) toward central zone, peripheryorchard, periphery-cereals, and cereals were considered as dependent variables.…”

Timing of migration dates and detection of first wintering sites for the Turtle Dove in Northwest Africa

“…All mentioned factors are suggested to be the main reasons behind the establishment of this Trans‐Saharan bird in North Africa instead of crossing the Sahara. In fact, Turtle Doves are known to be associated with agricultural lands in both wintering and breeding habitats (Browne & Aebischer, 2003; Kramer‐Schadt et al, 2013; Mansouri et al, 2019; Squalli et al, 2022). Thus the availability of different seeds after agricultural seasons during summer in Northwest Africa could offer an opportunity for these birds or at least for low‐performing individuals (as the three sub‐adults observed in Ghardaïa during 2019–2020) to face wintering periods in the case of incapacity of migration.…”