The diversity of plumage coloration and behavioral features of synanthropic blue rock pigeon of urbanized territories

Abstract

The paper considers the features of the phenotypic structure formation of blue rock pigeons populations on the basis of plumage color on territories with varying degrees of urbanization. The distribution of morphotypes may depend on the number of pigeons in flocks (the density of micropopulation groups), which is determined by migration processes associated with the transformation of the habitat, changes in foraging and other factors. An important role in the phenotypic structure formation of the pigeon population is the development of adaptations to living conditions in the city. The most anthropotolerant and, accordingly, adapted to the conditions of urbanization, are the most numerous morphotypes black and grey, which have developed various adaptation strategies in the process of co-evolution. Representatives of these morphotypes predominantly constitute the sedentary part of pigeon populations in urban areas. Migrants, among whom, apparently, there is a large proportion of aberrant morphotypes or hybrid forms, demonstrate less adaptability to anthropogenic impact and to the conditions of urbanization. The existence of stable polymorphic populations of blue rock pigeons in the urban environment indicates the development of multidirectional behavioral strategies that make it possible to fully use the features of urban landscapes and adapt to humans and numerous anthropogenic disturbance factors. One of the directions of the adaptive population strategy of blue rock pigeons is the development of moderate anthropotolerance, which is possessed by representatives of the most common black-striped phenotype.