Analysis of Moroccan breeding and wintering population of the vulnerable European Turtle dove Streptopelia turtur: Breeding habitats, wintering sites and governing factors

Abstract

The estimation of population size, the identification of breeding habitats, wintering zones, and governing factors are key matters for the understanding of population trends, as well as for the adoption of relevant conservation approaches, particularly within threatened species. From 2015 to 2019, a large-scale survey of the vulnerable Turtle doves (Streptopelia turtur) was established in Morocco. We monitored the breeding population, wintering attempts, and factors surrounding Doves in different Moroccan habitats. Results obtained from this study showed that 2846 breeding pairs were revealed in both farmlands and woodlands. In parallel, an important population of Doves was identified as wintering birds in Morocco instead of regular wintering grounds in Sub-Saharan Africa, and this is valuable information about this long-distance migrant bird. Moreover, the logistic binomial model showed that the occurrence probability of breeding and wintering Turtle doves in Morocco is significantly governed by climate conditions (temperature and rainfall), the abundance of food resources, and vegetation cover. Therefore, the availability of such requirements is suggested to control the wintering Doves in Morocco instead of Sub-Saharan quarters. In order to clarify this point, there is an urgent need to set up an integrated program of long-term ecological monitoring in North Africa and South Europe, as well as to set in new technologies to understand this issue.