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

Abstract

Breeding success plays a crucial role in the dynamics of bird populations and yet is the least-studied avian life-stage. Habitat quality during breeding phase may have important implications for survival and conservation, particularly for declining populations in landscapes that have undergone wide-scale human modification. The European Turtle dove is a widespread but fast declining species both in breeding and wintering zones. Reduced food availability is thought to influence breeding success of this game species, but it is not known how agriculture practices could influence breeding Doves, in its high altitude breeding zones. Here, we monitored Turtle dove nests in apple orchards from early Marsh to the end of October 2015. Nest-tree support, breeding success, and predation were determined and analysed depending on agricultural practices. Compared to prune, cherry and other plantation, apple orchards had the highest overall Turtle doves' nests (85%). However, 60% of recorded nests were located on Golden delicious, where are noted the highest nesting success rates (respectively 77.6% and 57.9% for eggs and chicks). However, Turtle dove showed high rate of nesting failure in the Midelt region, more especially in apple orchards, and this is mainly due to predation attacks, which caused a loss of 77.8% of broods, both among eggs and chicks. In addition, several farming practices in apple orchards influenced significantly nesting success of this species. In fact, this game bird does not breed in the orchards covered by hailnets. Similarly, tree pruning disturb doves nesting on apples.

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

“…European turtle doves (Streptopelia turtur) are the only migrant Columbidae that winters in Sub-Saharan Africa and breeds in North Africa and Europe [22,23]. Based on breeding and wintering areas, this game has undergone long-term declines, especially in Western Europe [24,25].…”

“…Based on breeding and wintering areas, this game has undergone long-term declines, especially in Western Europe [24,25]. Over the past decades, the intensification of agriculture and habitat loss are classified as principal causes leading to the declining of turtle doves [22,26,27]. ese factors cause a failure of breeding success and reduction of migration capacities.…”

“…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].…”

“…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]. In parallel, [38] have reported a significant shifting in migration dates and breeding chronology between high and low altitude breeding sites.…”

Migratory Dates, Breeding Phenology, and Reproductive Success of European Turtle Doves between Lowlands and Highest Breeding Habitats in North Africa

“…In such a context, precise knowledge of the migration periods and breeding chronology is urgently needed to understand certain migratory and breeding features in North African high-altitude zones, which are breeding lands and migrating routes [26,27]. In addition, the comparison of turtle dove chronology between lowlands and highlands is unknown, and its awareness is useful in conservation management such as adoption of hunting periods which is consistent with breeding chronology.…”