Dietary regimen of the woodpigeon (Columba palumbus)

Abstract

Recently, new agricultural policies and European Directives brought to important changes in farming practice, some of which could affect food availability for the wild bird population endangering biodiversity. This study aims to evaluate the consequences of such agricultural changes in France on the woodpigeon's dietary regimen. A total of 1,093 woodpigeons were collected over a four‐year period (2014–2017). Voluntary sampling was performed in six regions in the south‐west of France by local hunters during this species’ autumnal migration and wintering. Ingluvies contents were recovered, macroscopically and microscopically identified, and then weighed before and after drying. Five food groups were identified: acorns, corn, green plant material, cultivated seeds and others. ANOVA testing followed by Tukey's test for multiple comparison were performed (R version 3.5.2). Significance was set at p < .05. A total of 762 woodpigeons met the study's inclusion criteria. Mean weight of total crop contents was less of 9 grams of dry matter. Most frequent food groups were “green plant material” (70.3%), acorns (42.3%) and corn (27.2%). In terms of grams of dry matter, the most important food in the crop content were acorns (62%): these were eaten more during the first two hunting seasons (p < .001), and in region A, lower amount was consumed compared to all other regions. On the contrary, corn intake peaked during the third year (p < .001), and in region A, birds had an increasing intake of this cereal. Cultivated seeds contributed to the diet more during migration (p = .007), while “green plant material” and others more during wintering (p = .011; p = .004). In conclusion, results confirm the opportunistic nature of the woodpigeon, balancing its diet according to food availability. Corn was eaten more in areas where the winter burying of chopped maize stover (mulching), provided by the Nitrate's directive, was in derogation.

Macro‐ and microstructures of the digestive tract in the Eurasian collared dove, Streptopelia decaocto (Frivaldszky 1838): Adaptive interplay between structure and dietary niche

“…Additionally, the stomach in captive Sardinian partridge, Alectoris barbara barbara has been shown to become conspicuously smaller, lighter, and have thinner musculature compared to wild individuals, related to dietary differences (Cappai et al, 2017). By further example, the common wood pigeon, Columba palumbus is capable of shifting its diet seasonally based on food availability, consuming more cultivated seeds during migration and green plant material during wintering (Negrier et al, 2021).…”

Should I stay or should I fly? Migration phenology, individual-based migration decision and seasonal changes in foraging behaviour of Common Woodpigeons

“…Woodpigeons are granivorous-frugivorous with an opportunistic nature adapting their dietary choices according to (seasonal) food availability, resulting in significant variations of consumed items between seasons (Ó hUallachain and Dunne 2013 ; Gutiérrez-Galán et al 2017 ; Negrier et al 2020 ). Particularly during summer and beginning of autumn, previous studies pointed out grains of cereal crops as major part of the diet (Murton et al 1964 ; Gutiérrez-Galán et al 2017 ; Negrier et al 2020 ). This is in line with our result showing that Woodpigeons from an urban population of Giessen undertook foraging trips to surrounding agricultural areas mainly from July to September (Fig.…”

“…However, ring recovery data are limited by poor recovery rates, particularly in Eastern and Northern Europe, and are biased due to different degrees of harvesting activity across Europe (Fiedler et al 2004 ; Butkauskas et al 2019 ). Furthermore, intensive ringing of Woodpigeons started only recently, in the last few decades (Negrier et al 2020 ). Alternative approaches, such as hydrogen isotope analysis of feathers (Hobson et al 2009 ) and genetic methods (Sruoga et al 2005 ; Grosso et al 2006 ; Butkauskas et al 2013 , 2019 ), were used to check for geographically-based divergence amongst Woodpigeon populations and to designate their flyways.…”

Diet composition of wild columbiform birds: next-generation sequencing of plant and metazoan DNA in faecal samples

“…The Turtle Dove is one of the very few long-distance migrant species that are obligate granivorous (Carboneras et al 2022 ). The diet of Stock Doves and particularly Woodpigeons include also green plant material, fruits, or invertebrates, especially if seed availability is low (Murton et al 1964 ; Möckel 1988 ; Gutiérrez-Galán et al 2017 ; Negrier et al 2021 ). The diet of Woodpigeons, considered a granivorous-frugivorous species, has been studied more extensively, particularly in earlier years, likely because they are important game birds and were appraised as a pest of growing crops (Ückermann 1985 ; Negrier et al 2021 ).…”