Traditional orchards and drivers of reproductive performance in a Northern Algerian population of laughing doves (spilopelia senegalensis)

Abstract

As a good example of species which have adapted in specific anthropogenic habitats as traditional orchards, we studied the breeding ecology of a northern Algerian population of Laughing Doves. We built multifactorial models for three components of Laughing Dove reproductive performance *clutch size, number of hatchlings, and number of fledglings* using generalized linear models (GLM). None of the studied factors: orchard type, laying period, nest location or nest size was affecting clutch size. Number of chicks hatched per nest was affected by orchards type and laying period. Based on model averaged estimates, the hatching success of Laughing Dove was negatively related to “olive orchards and early timing of breeding” (β = −0.53; z = −2.16; p = 0.3). Whereas the number of chicks fledged per nest only differed with orchard type, and model averaged estimates showed a negative relation to olive orchards (β = −0.30 ± 0.17; z = −1.72, p = 0.28). No other variables, horizontal and vertical location or nest size, were related to the variation in breeding performance. So, we suggest that the main drivers of nest failures and reproductive performance of Laughing Doves were egg predation and other variables which are not investigated.