Spatial Distribution and Habitat Overlap of Five Columbidae Species in the Czech Republic

Abstract

Habitat overlap occurs when two species co-exist in the same habitat and utilise the same resources. Using common bird monitoring data in Czech Republic from 2015 and 2016, we compared the affinities of five Columbidae species regarding land use types. Moreover, we analysed the effects of land use types and land use heterogeneity on five species distributions. The aim of the study was to quantify the habitat overlap of five Columbidae species regarding types of land use and land use heterogeneity. We predicted a high level of habitat overlap between most of the species and its occurrence in farmlands and urban areas. Our results confirmed the high habitat overlap of all five Columbidae species in farmlands. An almost complete overlap was recorded between Columba livia domestica and Streptopelia decaocto, as well as between Columba palumbus and Streptopelia turtur. Considering land use utilisation, C. livia and S. decaocto mainly utilised farmlands and urban areas. Furthermore, deciduous forests were utilised by Columba oenas and coniferous and mixed forests by C. palumbus. Finally, S. turtur mainly utilised grasslands and avoided urban areas. We conclude that Columbidae species overlap in spatial distributions, mostly in urban areas, forests, and farmlands. Our study provides a summary of these common species habitat affinities.

New distribution and breeding location of the Stock Dove Columba oenas in Algeria

“…These data correspond to what was previously concluded: Stock Dove is listed as a forestdwelling species, is mainly present in deciduous and mixed forests, and depends on old beech trees for nesting (Gibbs et al 2010, Koleček et al 2010, Koschová et al 2014, Floigl et al 2022. Others believe that it is a bird of agricultural lands and forest edges and is rarely encountered in urban areas.…”

“…Globally, the Stock Dove is a wild species once found throughout Eurasia and North Africa, while their number of individuals has increased recently (1,400,000-2,600,000) (BirdLife International 2016, Anselin 2020). It is rarely observed in urban areas (Floigl et al 2022) (Isenmann & Moali 2000).…”

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

“…Here, it would be interesting to compare the diet of the Woodpigeon and Eurasian Collared Dove S . decaocto , as these two species are likely to co-exist in (sub-)urban areas (Floigl et al 2022 ). Unfortunately, we were not able to catch any Collared Dove in our sampling sites.…”

“…Species of Columbiformes native to Europe, including amongst others Common Woodpigeon Columba palumbus , European Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur , and Stock Dove C . oenas , rank amongst the most common and widespread birds in European landscapes, with overlapping occurrence of the different species in habitats such as farmland (Walker 2007 ; Floigl et al 2022 ). Whilst the population trends of Woodpigeons and Stock Doves are moderately increasing, Turtle Doves are rapidly declining across their entire European breeding range (− 33% since 1998; Lormée et al 2020 ; PECBMS 2021 ).…”

Morphometry and food preference in relation to sex and hematological values of Eurasian collared dove (Streptotella decaocto)

“…Later, this bird was placed in the genus Streptopelia by French ornithologist Bonaparte [ 2 ]. Columba decaocto belongs to the Columbidae, the family of pigeons and doves [ 3 ]. The Eurasian collared dove exists worldwide, including Europe, Asia Minor, Turkistan, North China, Japan, Palestine, Iraq, Iran, and Great Britain [ 4 ].…”