Competition for Food in Urban Pigeons: The Cost of Being Juvenile

Sol, Daniel; Santos, David M.; Garcia, Josep Casanovas; Cuadrado, Mariano

doi:10.2307/1370270

Cited by 70 publications

(80 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…At fledging, young remain close to the nest where they are fed by their parents for six to ten days (Pikula et al 1982). Young pigeons are less competitive foragers than adults, and consequently are forced into suboptimal feeding sites where they may starve (Sol et al 1998(Sol et al , 2000. When aged about seven weeks, young pigeons become fully independent (Heinroth & Heinroth 1924) and at this age they show a progressive tendency towards flocking, and seem to seek out pigeon groups (Johnston & Janiga 1995).…”

Section: Additional Factors (S) Spreadmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phenotype-dependent selection of juvenile urban Feral PigeonsColumba livia

Haag‐Wackernagel¹,

Heeb²,

Leiss³

2006

Bird Study

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Section: Additional Factors (S) Spreadmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phenotype-dependent selection of juvenile urban Feral PigeonsColumba livia

Haag‐Wackernagel¹,

Heeb²,

Leiss³

2006

Bird Study

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“…At this stage juveniles are subjected to challenges and constraints that ultimately affect their fitness and survival (Heinsohn 1991, Sol et al 1998, Daunt et al 2007). Owing to their inexperience, young animals are often inefficient foragers and need to compensate for their reduced foraging success with an energetically costly increase in foraging effort (Weathers & Sullivan 1989, Daunt et al 2007, Thornton 2008.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Owing to their inexperience, young animals are often inefficient foragers and need to compensate for their reduced foraging success with an energetically costly increase in foraging effort (Weathers & Sullivan 1989, Daunt et al 2007, Thornton 2008. The lack of foraging skills also makes juveniles poor competitors, especially when competing against adults of other species that are of similar size, and negatively affects juvenile foraging success in competitive situations (Scott 1980, Sol et al 1998. This is especially problematic for juvenile mammals whose mass at weaning is often lower than adult mass and who often have not completed their morphological and physiological development.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Age, body mass and environmental variation shape the foraging ontogeny of Galapagos sea lions

Jeglinski¹,

Werner²,

Robinson³

et al. 2012

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Size-and age-specific physiological constraints coupled with inexperience make the transition to independent foraging in juvenile divers a crucial period with important consequences for survival, dispersal and future reproduction. Variation in environmental conditions and associated changes in food availability can additionally constrain the juvenile's development to independence. Juvenile Galapagos sea lions Zalophus wollebaeki (GSL) represent an extreme example of these constraints owing to a low growth rate, seasonal variation in food abundance and unpredictable declines in food availability during El Niño events. Time−depth recorder (TDR) data and stable isotope data of δ 15 N and δ 13 C of known age juvenile GSL were analysed to investigate the development of diving and foraging, and a regular year was compared with an El Niño year to determine the effect of environmental change on the foraging behaviour of juvenile and adult GSL. GSL juveniles started diving activity at 12 mo of age and showed distinct juvenilespecific diving strategies that suggest there is an ontogenetic niche shift between juvenile and adult GSL foraging. Successful independent foraging, indicated by a strong decrease in δ 15 N ratio, started considerably later (at 18 mo of age) and was further delayed in the El Niño warm season, indicating there is an even longer dependency on maternal milk during environmentally adverse conditions. Our results suggest that prolonged maternal energetic investment buffers GSL juveniles against the constraints of diving and foraging under environmentally variable conditions and is linked to the low reproductive rate of this species.

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“…The great number of pigeons in the urban environments (e.g., cities, towns, docks, and others human developments) [30,31] and the constant growth of their population supported by food availability and favourable nesting conditions in all seasons of the year, accompanied by the absence of food predators and microorganisms [32,33], can promote expansion of the occurrence range of the European pigeon tick.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Skin lesions in humans bitten by European pigeon tick <i>Argas reflexus</i> (Fab.) (Ixodida: Argasidae) massively occurring in the Upper Silesian conurbation of south-west Poland

Buczek

Bartosik

Kulina

et al. 2018

Ann Agric Environ Med.

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Introduction and objective. The great number of pigeon populations in many European cities promotes the spread of the European pigeon tick (Argas reflexus), the bites of which cause local and systemic reactions. The aim was to study the occurrence of A. reflexus in several cities of Upper Silesia, and skin lesions caused by A. reflexus tick bites in humans. Materials and method. The results of investigations carried out in 1995-2002 in five cities located in the Upper Silesian conurbation are presented. Specimens of A. reflexus were collected for one hour in attics and lofts inhabited by these ticks. A history of skin lesions caused by bites was taken from residents who had been infested by A. reflexus. The development of skin lesions was monitored for three months in two individuals who had been bitten several times by these arthropods. Results. In the localities, 987 A. reflexus specimens were collected, including 334 females, 269 males, and 384 various nymphal stages. Within one hour, 38-109 ticks specimens were collected at the study sites. Cases of attacks by unengorged A. reflexus were reported in all the habitats located in the residential buildings; the ticks were also found in residents' flats and in staircases. Residents who had been repeatedly attacked by European pigeon ticks developed a strong inflammatory reaction to the components of tick saliva, and had purple papules with necrosis in the centre of the lesion. The tick bite areas exhibited scars and hyperpigmentation. Conclusions. Individuals attacked by A. reflexus several times are at risk of development of severe persistent local reactions to bites. Pigeon ticks, trophically associated with pigeons present abundantly in the Upper Silesian conurbation and other European urban habitats, pose a serious threat to public health.

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Competition for Food in Urban Pigeons: The Cost of Being Juvenile

Cited by 70 publications

References 13 publications

Phenotype-dependent selection of juvenile urban Feral PigeonsColumba livia

Phenotype-dependent selection of juvenile urban Feral PigeonsColumba livia

Age, body mass and environmental variation shape the foraging ontogeny of Galapagos sea lions

Skin lesions in humans bitten by European pigeon tick <i>Argas reflexus</i> (Fab.) (Ixodida: Argasidae) massively occurring in the Upper Silesian conurbation of south-west Poland

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