Diversity of feeding habitats and diet composition in the turtle doves Streptopelia turtur to buffer loss and modification of natural habitats during breeding season

Abstract

The approach of the birds to use physical and alimentary resources in degraded and modified natural habitats is an important aspect of their adaptation. This study was undertaken during 2016-2017 at forty habitats in the Moulouya plain, Morocco to examine behavioral diet, habitat use and foraging ecology of turtle dove, Streptopelia turtur . We monitored turtle doves in four major plots namely cereal plots, lucerne farms, apple orchards, and stations in the Ansgmir River covering 40 habitats. Digestive tract contents were also identified and evaluated for 68 Turtle Doves shot by hunters during two consecutive years. The results showed that the turtle doves use a variability of feeding habitats. The cereal cultivation seemed to be more preferable habitat for feeding especially in the month of May, the first breeding phase of the year. But, during the months of August and July, the riverbanks were the preferred habitat for turtle doves. The diet of this species is polyphagous and diverse with a granivorous tendency. Diet analysis showed that soft wheat and barley seeds constituted 44.53% and 38.74% respectively followed by barley seeds with 38.74% and sand stones (9.16%) of the seeds eaten by Turtle Doves. However, moderate proportion of elements (7.32%) remained undefined. All these aspects, including the variability of feeding habitats and the wide diet seem to be an adaptive strategy followed by turtle dove to counter the degradation and the modification of its natural feeding habitats.

The turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur) in Midelt plain, Morocco: nesting preferences and breeding success versus the impact of predation and agricultural practices

“…Despite that olive and orange trees are the most important nest-trees used for breeding by Turtle doves (Hanane 2012; Hanane and Baâmal 2012; Hanane 2014; Hanane 2017), this study provides first evidence on breeding doves inside apple orchards, and therefore these habitats might play a similar role in high altitude zones, especially, with their placement next to extent of cereals and water availability (Mansouri et al 2019). In the study site, the majority of nests (84.69%) were recorded in apple orchards compared to five other tree species.…”

“…forks made with horizontal or sub-horizontal branches) and abundant twigs to build their nests. Moreover, these orchards, as well as other fruit trees, are generally associated or close to cereal and irrigated lands, as food sources (Mansouri et al 2019). Turtle doves have placed their nests on Golden delicious and Starking delicious with a preferences toward golden delicious (60.2% of nests).…”

“…In the case of the Turtle doves, an analysis of CBC data between 1965 and 1995 concluded that breeding site availability on farmland was controlling Doves distribution Hanane 2016). Cereal production in Africa, strongly influences overwinter survival of Turtle doves, suggesting that conditions on wintering lands are also vital for this species (Eraud et al 2009;Mansouri et al 2019). Although, the effects of climate change, droughts and food supply in both breeding and wintering zones (Browne and Aebischer 2001), hunting (Jarry 1999; ORIGINAL ARTICLE Received: February 25, 2020 ▪ Accepted: March 19, 2020 ▪ Published Online: June 03, 2020 Rocha and Hidalgo 2002;Boutin and Lutz 2007) and competition with the collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto) remain poorly acknowledged or require advance evaluations (Rocha and Hidalgo 2002;Browne and Aebischer 2003;Hanane 2017).…”

New Data on Migration Time, Breeding Phenology, and Breeding Success of European Turtle Doves in Their Highest Breeding Habitats in North Africa

“…e monitored sites were located at the Northern foot of Jbel Ayachi Mountains, in the Molouya high plateau, 1400 to 1600 m altitude above sea level ( Figure 1). Midelt was dominated by forests that cover 17095 ha, including Xerophytes with 4 772 ha, Holm oak 3375 ha, and Red juniper 2280 ha, while irrigated perimeter cover more than 1000 ha [33]. e orchards were dominated by fruit trees, including apples, plums, and peach trees.…”

“…Although the breeding ecology and migration dates of turtle doves have been examined in detail [28,29], there has been no comparable examination of the detailed breeding chronology and reproductive success in high-altitude habitats [22]. In all previous studies, research concerning breeding ecology was limited to an altitude ranging from 100 to 600 m in both Europe and North Africa [22,23,[30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37]. erefore, understanding the migration and breeding phenology at high-altitude habitat will open a new window in conservation measures, in particular with recent evidence indicating that turtle doves breed and feed in mountainous zones [22,23].…”