NESTING OF THE COLLARED DOVE (STREPTOPELIA DECAOCTO) AS A MANIFESTATION OF EVOLUTIONARY ADAPTATIONS TO THE URBANIZED ENVIRONMENT
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/naturaljournal.17.2026.2Keywords:
сollared dove, nesting success, urban landscape, avifauna, synanthropization, adaptation, reproductive successAbstract
The article presents the results of long-term comprehensive monitoring of the population and reproductive parameters of the Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) within the urban landscapes of the Central Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. The study, covering the period from 2015 to 2025, is based on a detailed analysis of 77 nesting cases within the "Sofiyivka" and "Oleksandriya" dendrological parks, urban squares of Uman, Cherkasy, Monastyryshche, and suburban forests. The relevance of the work is determined by the need to update data on the ecology of the species in the context of intensive technogenic transformations of urban ecosystems over the last decade. It was established that the nesting density of the species is significantly determined by the type of anthropogenic landscape and the level of habitat mosaicism. In large park massifs, a density of 0,11–0,37 ind./ha was recorded, while in small urban squares, this indicator increases to 1,8–5,0 ind./ha. A strategy of vertical nesting differentiation was revealed as a mechanism to minimize the disturbance factor: in squares with high pedestrian traffic, 75,86% of nests are concentrated in the upper canopy (6–8 m), whereas in large parks, a height of 4–5 m prevails. The spatial architectonics of nesting were also analyzed: in squares, there is a clear shift of nests to the middle part of lateral branches (72,41%), which indicates the adaptive flexibility of the species in modified environments. Integral indicators of nesting success were calculated, amounting to 66,66 ± 5,56% in dendrological parks and 62,96 ± 2,42% in urban squares. The average clutch size ranges from 1,85 to 1,93 eggs. Key eliminating factors were identified, among which the leading role is played by predation by the Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), corvids, and stray cats, causing the destruction of up to 30,76% of nests in squares. It is proved that the stability of local populations is ensured by high reproductive potential, which allows the species to successfully compensate for the destructive impact of predators and anthropogenic pressure, confirming the status of S. decaocto as a successful obligate synanthrope.
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