Breeding Ecology of a Columbid Community Occurring in South Texas With Focus on Eurasian Collared-Doves (Streptopelia Decaocto)

Abstract

The Eurasian collared-dove (Streptopelia decaocto) has expanded its range into South Texas, bringing it into contact with native columbid species. We studied urban columbid breeding ecology at three study sites, representing five South Texas towns, in 2006 and 2007. Columbids began nesting in April and peaked in late spring, followed by a secondary nesting peak. A positive relationship occurred between nesting vegetation type and mean nest density of each columbid species but was inconsistent within and among study sites. Eurasian collared-doves also utilized human-constructed structures for nesting sites. Columbids were nonselective in choosing nest placement within trees except for Eurasian collared-doves nesting in Rio Grande ash (Fraxinus berlanderiana). White-winged doves (Zenaida asiatica) and Eurasian collared-doves tended to nest higher in trees than mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) or Inca doves (Columbina inca) where all four species co-occurred. Eurasian collared-dove, Inca dove, mourning dove, and white-winged dove productivity was 1.3 ± 0.1 (SE) fledged young/nest, 1.3 ± 0.2, 0.9 ± 0.1, and 1.1 ± <0.1, respectively. Overall, urban nesting columbids used a generalist habitat and nest site association strategy, which negated interspecific competition for available nest sites. We provide some of the first information on nesting ecology and productivity of the Eurasian collared-dove associated with native columbid species within North America.