Streptopelia Orientalis Research Articles

Optimal brood size and its limiting factors in the Rufous Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis

AbstractOptimal brood size and its limiting factors of the Rufous Turtle Dove, Streptopelia orientalis, were studied at the campus of the University of Tsukuba, Japan, during the breeding season in 1990–92. The dove usually lays two eggs in a nest. I made nests of a brood size of one and three by transferring a hatchling from one nest to the other, and compared their fledging success, factors of breeding failure, weight and tarsus length at fledging, growth rate and nestling period with those of a brood of two. The index of fitness (fledgling weight multiplied by average number of fledglings per nest) was almost the same in broods of two and three. However, the highest variation in fledging weight within the brood and the extension of nestling period were observed in broods of three, which caused the extension of inter‐brood interval and consequently the smaller number of broods in the total breeding season. Therefore, broods of three would not have an advantage in producing more offspring than broods of two. Crop milk production had an effect on the growth of nestlings in the early phase of the nestling period, but the rapid growth in the granivorous phase compensated for the growth delay of the smallest nestling in broods of three. Small brood size and a large number of broods in a season would also be more effective under high predation pressure.

Scaring Effectiveness of Eyespot Balloons on the Rufous Turtle Dove, Streptopelia orientalis (LATHAM), in a Flight Cage

Scaring Effectiveness of Eyespot Balloons on the Rufous Turtle Dove, Streptopelia orientalis (LATHAM), in a Flight Cage

Effects of Height of Neighboring Nests on Nest Predation in the Rufous Turtle-Dove (Streptopelia orientalis)

Effects of Height of Neighboring Nests on Nest Predation in the Rufous Turtle-Dove (Streptopelia orientalis)

Repelling Effectiveness of Ziram on Rufous Turtle Doves, Streptopelia orientalis, Eating Sprouting Soybeans

Repelling Effectiveness of Ziram on Rufous Turtle Doves, <i>Streptopelia orientalis</i>, Eating Sprouting Soybeans

Factors Affecting Nest Re-use in the Ruf ous Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis

Factors affecting choice of nest type were examined in the Rufous Turtle Dove, Streptopelia orientalis, dividing nest re-use into two types; re-use of a nest previously used by itself and a nest never used by itself before. New nests were used in 47.4% of all breeding attempts, old-not previously used nests in 10.9%, and old-previously used nests in 14.1% (n= 192). Breeding outcomes at each nest type were not significantly different. The dove chose an old nest after a new nest, vice versa, and chose an old-not previously used nest at a long distance from the preceding nest site. The distance of nests in two successive breedings for a pair was longer after an unsuccessful breeding. In two successive breedings at a nest, either member of a pair was the same 37.3%, or both were different 34.8% (n=69) of the time. The preceding breeding success was significantly lower when the users at a nest had changed than when they had not changed. However, no significant difference in the outcome of the next breeding was detected. These results showed that the preceding breeding experiences, such as breeding success and nest type, were important in the choice of the following nest type, though the choice did not affect the following breeding outcome. Since old-previously used nests and old-not previously used nests were chosen after different breeding experiences, it is considered that the Rufous Turtle Dove distinguishes these two types of old nests.

Effectiveness of Antipredator Behavior of the Ruf ous Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis

Antipredator behavior of the Rufous Turtle Dove, Streptopelia orientalis was studied on the campus of University of Tsukuba from March, 1990 to November, 1991. The breeding doves showed alternative antipredator behavior against a human visitor: injury-feigning and threatening. Threatening behavior was sometimes followed by attack with wings. Injury-feigning and threatening behavior were observed in 20 and 29 of 124 nests observed. The frequency and intensity of the antipredator behavior were not related to nest site characteristics, environmental conditions, breeding season, and brood size, but frequency of threatening behavior increased after the 7th day of nestlings. Although fledging success was higher in threatening behavior nests after the 7th day, nest success and fledging success were not related to the type and frequency of antipredator behavior as a whole. It is suggested that the antipredator behavior of the dove is not effective against the main predators, crows, although the behavior may have played a role in avoiding ground or small predators in other habitat.

Identification of Nest Predators of the Ruf ous Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis by Video Tape Recording

Identification of Nest Predators of the Ruf ous Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis by Video Tape Recording

An Implicit Cost of Nest Re-use in the Rufous Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis

1) The Rufous Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis was studied in Kyoto, Japan and found to often re-use old nests for breeding. The hypothesis that the same breeding outcome (success or failure due to different causes) tended to occur at the same nest was examined with reference to the interval between two successive breedings.2) Seasonal tendencies in breeding outcomes were not significantly different between new and old-reused nests. Other failures were most frequent in July to October, both at new and old-re-used nests.3) Other failures occurred more frequently at the nests in which the preceding outcomes were also other failures within a certain breeding interval, but there was no such relationship for successful breedings. The tendency was diminished when all breedings were combined with no consideration of breeding interval.4) The results obtained here suggested that nest predators tended to revisit previously preyed-upon nests within a certain interval. It is suggested that, as the risk of nest predation in using old nests could not be assessed by the present status of the nests, re-use of old nests involves an implicit cost of nest predation.

Scaring Effect of Face of Mannequin on the Rufous Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis

Experiments were conducted in order to demonstrate that 1) the individual variation of responses to visual stimulus by Rufous Turtle Doves Streptopelia orientalis and 2) the differences between responses to stimulus presented to only one dove and two or more. Three doves were used in the experiment in which two mannequins were placed by the two feeding sites, respectively, in a large cage (58×20 m, height 12 m). The mannequins, one was covered the whole body with red cloth and another was the same as the former but exposed her face, were changed the setting places randomly. The responses to the stimulus were measured by foraging behavior of doves, e.g. the amount of food that bird consumed, and the time from feeding to the onset of foraging.1) The control experiment in which no mannequins were installed by the feeding sites shows that birds had no tendency to prefer to one feeding site.2) The responses to the stimulus differed among individuals. Dove A clearly avoided the mannequin that exposed the face, and Dove B avoided two mannequins irrespective of the face exposed or covered and did not come to feeding sites for 11 experimental days. Dove C also avoided the two mannequins for the first 6 days, and thereafter visited the feeding sites without any particular aversion to one type of mannequin.3) The experiment involved Doves B and C showed that the latter appeared to the feeder exclusively, while the former visited there once.4) In the experiment involved all three doves, Dove A became to visit two feeding sites and Dove B also appeared to two feeding sites. Interference by the feeding site was recorded between individuals in which Dove C was always dominant to other doves.5) The result of the experiment involved two or more doves appear to be strongly reflected the behavior of the individuals that responded to the stimulus rather weakly.6) I discussed the changes of the foraging behavior of doves, when they were used in single or plural individuals in experiment, from the view point of acclimation to the stimulus with the progress of experiment, individual interference, and the change of behavior of doves when they formed flocks.

Occurrence of Campylobacter jejuni in free-living wild birds from Japan.

Campylobacter jejuni was isolated from 44 of 313 free-living birds from Japan. The highest isolation rate was found in 30 of 87 (34%) crows (Corvus levaillanti and Corvus corone), followed by 2 of 10 (20%) blue magpies (Cyanopica cyanus), 5 of 35 (14%) gray starlings (Sturnus cineraceus), 2 of 16 (13%) domestic pigeons (Columbia livia domestica), 4 of 36 (11%) bulbuls (Hypsipetes amaurotis), and 1 of 62 (2%) eastern turtledoves (Streptopelia orientalis). One-fourth of the contents of the crop and stomach of the crows was human refuse. One-third of the crop and stomach contents of gray starlings and blue magpies consisted of insects. More than one-half of the contents of bulbuls and eastern turtledoves were seeds and plant material. These differences in food habits may be a primary factor in the varying prevalence of C. jejuni in these respective avian species.

The feeding from edge towards inner part in soybean plot in rufous turtle dove, Streptopellia orientalis (Latham) and the estimation of passing rate of the flock

Rufous turtle dove, Streptopelia orientalis, coming to the soybean field entered it from the outer part to eat soybean cotyledons. As a result, the injured plants extended from the outer to inner parts in the field. A model expressing these behaviours was constructed here, by assuming that the amount of food birds can eat in one block determines whether they stay there or move into neighbour block. As the food decrease due to exploitation of them by birds, birds enter into farther parts with the passage of time. The rate of feeding in all visiting birds (an0 where a is the rate of feeding per individual and n0 the number of birds visiting) and the rate of staying at a block, b, was estimated from the field experimental results, using the above model. The value of an0 fluctuated greatly, depending upon the season in which soybean seeds sowed. The value of b also fluctuated inversely with that of an0, suggesting the the staying rate decreases with an increase in the number of doves coming, probably because of interference among individuals.

Seasonal Fluctuation of Soybean Damage Intensity by Rufous Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis and the Factors Affecting It

In order to investigate the seasonal fluctuation of damage intensity by doves, we sowed upland field of National Agriculture Research Center, Ibaraki Pref., with soybeans every other week and counted the number of soybeans damaged between April and August, from 1981 through 1986. Rufous Turtle Doves Streptopelia orientalis, the main predators on soybeans, were free to eat soybean seeds and/or cotyledons.1) The percentage of seeds eaten before germination was low in April, high in May, and became low from June again. The percentage of seeds eaten in the first sowing of the year was always lower than the second sowing, probably due to that the doves are unaccustomed to the cropping field at the time of the first sowing.2) The damage after germination (soybeans pulled out, growing point eaten, one or two coty-ledons eaten) was also intense in May but the degree of damage dropped in June. The percent-age of damage fatal to the plant (i.e. soybean pulled out and growing point eaten) was high when the percentage of total damage after germination was high.3) The percentage of the number of soybeans (both seeds and cotyledons) damaged was high before the ripening of barley and became low just after the ripening.4) The relationships between the seasonal fluctuation of soybean damage and the maturity stage of barley in other areas of Japan, the seasonal changes in the food habits of feral pigeons shot in the neighborhood of study area in spring, the change in behavior of Rufous Turtle Doves during the harvest period of wheat and barley, and the amount of barley and wheat that dropped on cropland at harvest were discussed. We suggested that a decrease in damage inten-sity of soybeans in June strongly related to the maturity stage of barley.

Seasonal Fluctuations in the Numbers of Rufous Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis Using Cultivated Fields, in Relation to Feeding Conditions

(1)Rufous Turtle Doves Streptopelia orientalis using the cultivated fields and forest aroundthe National Agriculture Research Center, Tsukuba were counted from April to November in 1983 and 1984. The number of doves often increased in plots where wheat, barley and corn had just been harvested. On the other hand, the number of them in forests did not show such marked fluctuation.(2) An analysis of crop contents from seven doves showed that they were almost exclusively vegetarian with the seeds of wheat and barley making up more than 80% of the contents.(3) The materials available to dove's foods were collected from quadrats placed in forest floor and cultivated fields. There was a little vegetable materials in the forest floor, but a large amount of seeds was collected in the plots where crops had just been harvested.(4) These results suggest that doves leave their foraging sites where foods had become scarce and aggregate in the sites with a planty of foods, such as plots where crops had just been harvested.

Breeding Biology of Rufous Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis in the Tokachi District, Hokkaido

The habitat and breeding biology of the Rufous Turtle Dove, Streptopelia orientalis, were studied at agricultural lands with small woods and shelterbelts in the Tokachi District, Hokkaido, for 5years in 1976 and 1979-1982. This dove is a summer visitor, occurring from late March to late October in the study area. At cultivated fields the mean number of the Rufous Turtle Doves based on 16 counts (8 per day) in each month were 5.8 per km in June (sowing season) and 7.6 in September (harvesting season), the numbers being significantly greater than in other months, because they gathered to feed. In woods the mean number was 4.0 per km in May and then decreased. Since the doves nest in woods and feed mainly in cultivated fields, the argicultural land with small woods or shelterbelts was one of their typical habitat.The doves preferred the nest sites that were well concealed by foliage, i.e. ever-green coniferous trees in April and May, but deciduous trees after June when tree canopies were full. Thirteen species of trees were used for nesting. The tree species most frequenctly selected were Larix leptolepis, Abies sachalinensis, Pinus strobus, Salix spp. and Sambucus sieboldiana. Nests were placed at height between 0.5 and 5.5 m above the ground, of which 80% were between 1 and 3 m. The relationship between tree height (x) and nest height above the ground (y) can be expressed by a regression equation y=0.540+0.416x-0.017x2.Most nests (92%) were placed on 3 or 4 horizontal or near horizontal branches, although 2 to 6 branches were used. New nest was built for each brood except for 4 cases, in which the same was used twice and a nest was built on an old nest of Lanius bucephalus. The nest material most frequently used was dead twins of L. leptolepis, A, sachalinensis, Alnus japonica, Betula platyphylla and Acer ginnala. The breeding season from the first nest-building to the last fledging was 6 months long, ranging from early April to early October. Although the number of the nests with eggs increased from April and showed a pronounced peak in May and June, there was no apparent seasonal variation in the number of the nests with nestlings. The mean clutch size for 57 nests was 1.9, ranging from 1 to 2. Fresh eggs weighed 11.8g. The incubation commenced with the laying of the first egg and the incubation period was 15 to 16 days. Both sexes participated in incubation. During the incubation period, 33% of nests or 33% of eggs laid were abandoned, and 19% of nests or 20% of eggs laid were destroyed by predators (Mustela sibirica and perhaps Accipiter nisus).The nestling period was 16 to 17days. The body weight of nestlings varied 9g at hatching to 165g in nestlings 17 days old. The wing length increased from 12mm at hatching to 133 mm in 17days old. The primaries and secondaries erupted from their sheaths in 6 to 7 days old. The sheaths of tail feathers began to appear in 4 to 5days old and the tail length was 70mm in 17days old. The eyes opened in 6 to 7 days old. The body was covered with feathers on 10 to 11 days old, thereafter the parents did not sit on their nestlings.For the first few days the nestlings were fed on fluid food, but after the 4th day they were fed solid foods, such as grains. After fledging the young were fed for a few days. During the nestling period, 18% of nests or 11% or nestlings were preyed on by predators. The succes of the nests with eggs was 26% and overall breeding snores (fledglings as a percentage of the eggs laid) was 25%.During the 6-months breeding season, each pair was expected to give an average fecundity of 7.2 clutches, ranging from 4 to 13 clutches. The probability that each pair raises 4 successful broods per season was 0.03. The corresponding values for 3, 2 and 1 successful broods are 0.21, 0.46 and 0.24 respectively.

Drug resistance and R plasmids of Escherichia coli strains isolated from six species of wild birds.

Drug resistance and R plasmids of Escherichia coli strains isolated from 30 wild birds of six species (jungle crows, bamboo partridges, grey starlings, rufous turtle doves, brown-eared bulbuls and azule-winged magpies) were investigated. Resistant strains were isolated from three species of birds: 34 (28.3%) of 120 strains isolated from jungle crows, 2 (8.0%) of 25 strains from bamboo partridges and 7 (70%) of 10 strains from grey starlings. Totally 43 (18.7%) of 230 strains were resistant. These strains were resistant to one or more drugs of oxytetracycline hydrochloride, dihydrostreptomycin and sulfadimethoxine. R plasmids were detected in 5 (14.7%) of the 34 resistant strains isolated from jungle crows. Quadruple-, quintuple- and sextuple-resistant strains were found among the 34 strains on agar plates containing oxytetracycline hydrochloride, chloramphenicol or dihydrostreptomycin and R plasmids were detected in eight of them. Of those 13 R plasmids, half of them showed Fi+ character, most of them showed restriction of phages λ, T2, T4 or T7, and their incompatibility groups were untypable. From these results, it is considered that these wild birds play a less role in spreading R plasmids than do domestic animals.

Biochemical Characteristics and In-Vitro Drug Sensitivity of Salmonella typhimurium, Copenhagen Variety Isolated from Domestic and Feral Pigeons, Crows, a Kite, Chickens and Animals in Japan

Salmonella typhimurium, Copenhagen variety was isolated from 13 domestic pigeons (Columba livia domestica) of 4 pigeonries in which clinical salmonellosis occurred during the period of 1970 to 1975. Of 58 composite fecal samples collected from feral pigeons (Columba livia domestica) in 13 districts of Honshu and Hokkaido in 1975 and 1976, 12 (20.7%) from 3 districts gave the same antigenic form. The antigenic form was also isolated from the tissues of 2 (1.8%) feral pigeons (Columba livia domestica) caught at one site among a total of 110 feral pigeons (80 Columba livia domestica and 30 Streptopelia orientalis orientalis) caught in 3 districts of Hokkaido in 1976. No Salmonella other than S. typhimurium, Copenhagen variety was obtained from pigeons. These isolates fermented maltose, and belonged to biovar 10 [2]. All the isolates from feral pigeons and most of those from domestic pigeons showed in-vitro drug sensitivity. S. typhimurium, Copenhagen variety having the same characteristics was isolated from animals, chickens and wild birds, though the antigenic form originating from hosts other than pigeons was drug resistant with variable frequencies, and different biovars were found in some hosts. This appears to indicate that pigeons have a role in the epizootiology of salmonellosis in animals and birds in Japan.

A study of the life history of Blue Magpie (10)

1. Behavior of Blue Magpie Cyanopica cyana against other bird species was studied during April 1962 and December 1973 in Nagano City area.2. The Kitatobe population of Blue Magpie was kept under observation of reactions against other birds of 53 species (27 families) which intruded or trespassed the home range. Of these birds, the Blue Magpie's reaction was observed against the following species: Calonectris leucomelas (a strayed individual), Nycticorax, nycticorax, Egretta garzetta, Anser albifrons, Milvus migrans, Buteo buteo, Falco tinnunculus, Sterna albifrons, Streptopelia orientalis, Cuculus canorus, Hypsipetes amaurotis, Lanius cristatus, Passer montanus, Sturnus cineraceus, Sturnus sturnina, Garrulus glandarius and Corvus corone.3. The behavior against these intruders was described in each case and the reaction patterns could be classified into: 1) harmful (or predatory) relation, 2) food relation, 3) roost relation.4. The harmful relation was seen against 13 species and consisted of: A. Emission of alarm notes B. Attacking, C. Mobbing, D. Chasing flight, E. Fleeing, and A. was most usual.5. Sensitive reaction was observed against some large water birds. such as Night Heron or egrets, etc., the meaning of which however was not clear.6. Against buzzard and kestrel, the Blue Magpie reacted when they were flying and not reacted or mobbed when they were perched. Against kite, it behaved differently, only reacting when the kite was flying low and straight.7. The frequency of reaction against cuckoo was low and the effect of its plumage of raptor pattern was not evident.8. Against Carrion Crow, alarm note reaction was usual throughout the year and in breeding season strong attacking and chasing behaviors were added. No reaction was shown against young crows or flocks in roosting flight.9. The dominance relation for food of Grey Starling>Blue Magpie>Brown-eared Bulbul was confirmed. Such specific ranks in food competition are correlated not only with amount or distribution pattern of the food but also with specific food preference.10. The roost relation was seen between the Grey Starlings. The Blue Magpie moved off from its settled roosting position by social pressure of increasing number of arriving starlings.

On traffic accidents of birds on Ise highway, Mie Prefecture

1. Bird accidents recorded during 1965-1972 on highway passing 8km through the warm zone mixed forest of Ise Shrine ground were investigated 563 times in total.2. This highway, with the width of 6.5m had a traffic of average 1, 500 cars/day in 1965 when it was opened. The traffic increased about 3.5 times by 1972 and the bird accidents (the annual relative kill) also increased 3.2 times during these 8 years.3. The frequencies of No. bird kill/No. observation were 2/48 (1965), 6/120 (1966), 8/118 (1967), 8/95 (196), 8/80 (1969), 5/65 (1970), 5/37 (1972), with the total of 42 birds killed/365 observations (1965-1972), and increase from 7.4% annual relative kill in 1965 to 23.5% in 1972.4. Bird accidents included 10 families, 18 species, comprising 72.2% residents, 16.7% winter visitors and 1/3 of the total of 42 kills were young birds.5. The species of highest kill rate was 21.4% of redstart Phoenicurus auroreus, the 14% of Emberiza cioides, 7.1% of Cettia diphone, Parus varius and Streptopelia orientalis etc. and ground feeding Turdus included three species.6. Seasonally, the highway kill of 19% of the total in March was the highest and the monthly kill was 10% during November to February, the winter kills from November to April occupying 87% of the total, which was about 3 times more frequent than in summer period.7. The cause of death confirmed included 33% cranial internal hoemorrhages, and 14% visceral haemorrhages, which were caused by liver or even aortic breaks.8. The accidents of birds were concentrated at 9 places along the highway of 8km. At these points small valley (s) with the width of 2-5m crossed the road at right angle, but at a broad open cross point of two big roads birds that move by low flight, such as bush warbler, pale ouzel, etc., were found dead.9. Some observations showed that road-side birds would take off with the speed of 30-60km/h, and car speed retained at about 40km/h may usually be safe for the birds from being struck at.

A bird survey of Iriomote I., Yaeyama Group, S. Ryu Kyus

1. As an expedition member of Yokkaichi Minami High School to the Yaeyama Group, S. Ryu Kyus, the author investigated birds on Iriomote I. and the adjacent Nakano-Kamijima.2. Thirty eight species of 23 Families including 7 species new to the islands, were recorded of which 32 species were common to Japan and 37 to Formosa. Nineteen species were common to Japan and 21 to Formosa as subspecies.3. The islands are of special interest as an intergrading area between oriental and palearctic zones and among observed species, the following were interesting zoogeographically and ecologically: Passer montanus (new record), Lanius cristatue lucionensis (on migration), Hirundo tahitica, Sula dactylatra, Thalasseus bergii, Streptopelia orientalis stimpsoni and Sterna sumatrana. The latter two species breed on a small rocky island and Streptopelia were breeding colonially in high density at a grassy place (not on the) and flew over the sea to the feeding place on the oposite coast.4. On Nakano-Kamijima, there was a mixed sea-bird colony consisting of Anous stolidus, sterna fuscata, Calonectris leucomelas (possibly the southern limit), and Sula leucogaster, with the total of some 20, 000 individuals. There habitat segregation especially between Sterna and Anous was demarcated.5. On this island sea-bird eggs are being taken in great numbers and the protection from this is considered to be urgently needed.

On the racial identity of Streptopelia orientalis of southern Japan

The range of darker race, Streptopelia orientalis stimpsoni (STEJNEGER), of the Riu Kiu Is. is considered to cover southern Honshiu (Inland Sea of Seto area), Shikoku and Seven Is. of lzn.