Morphometrics and Body Condition Index of Eurasian Collared-Dove and Mourning Dove in Durango, Mexico

Manuel Armando Salazar-Borunda,José Hugo Martínez-Guerrero,Martín Emilio Pereda-Solís

doi:10.4236/oje.2015.52004

Abstract

In order to incorporate the knowledge of two species of wild doves and compare the results of both, we assessed morphometrics (body weight, bill, tarsus, tail, wing, head and culmen length) and body condition index (using weigh, wing, tail and tarsus length) of Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto and Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura (Aves: Columbidae) based on 40 specimens of each species collected during fall-winter 2013 and spring-summer 2014 in the municipality of Durango, Durango, Mexico. We found that body condition index was higher during fallwinter for both species. We also found size dimorphism. Males of Eurasian Collared-Dove were larger than females in head length (p = 0.002) and tail length (p = 0.05) but smaller in culmen length. Female Mourning Doves had a higher body condition index compared to males (p = 0.02) during both seasons. As expected, Eurasian Collared-Dove was larger in all measurements than Mourning Dove (p > 0.05) but tail length (p = 0.12).

Highlights

There are 18 species of pigeons and doves (Aves: Columbidae) native to Mexico and two introduced ones [1].How to cite this paper: Salazar-Borunda, M.A., Martínez-Guerrero, J.H. and Pereda-Solís, M.E. (2015) Morphometrics and Body Condition Index of Eurasian Collared-Dove and Mourning Dove in Durango, Mexico
Seasonality We found that STRDEC was larger than ZENMAC for all the variables measured but tail length (Table 1)
We found that body measurements were different between both dove species and some size dimorphism of some but not all of these measurements such as head and bill length and body condition index

Summary

Introduction

There are 18 species of pigeons and doves (Aves: Columbidae) native to Mexico and two introduced ones [1].How to cite this paper: Salazar-Borunda, M.A., Martínez-Guerrero, J.H. and Pereda-Solís, M.E. (2015) Morphometrics and Body Condition Index of Eurasian Collared-Dove and Mourning Dove in Durango, Mexico. There are 18 species of pigeons and doves (Aves: Columbidae) native to Mexico and two introduced ones [1]. (2015) Morphometrics and Body Condition Index of Eurasian Collared-Dove and Mourning Dove in Durango, Mexico. Salazar-Borunda et al. The Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) is, as its name implies, originally from Eurasia and introduced in Florida in the 1990s [2]. It may represent a threat to the structure, function and integrity of ecosystems [6] as it might be able to modify the environment and even bring to extinction to native species [7]. The Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) is native to Mexico as a resident species with a stable population of no concern [1]

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Conclusion