PRELIMINARY STUDY ON BREEDING BIOLOGY OF THE PALM DOVE, Streptopelia senegalensis, AT SHARKIA GOVERNORATE, IN EGYPT

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Plant Prot. Dept., Agric. Fac., Zagazig Univ., Egypt

2 Harmful Anim. Dept., Plant Prot. Res. Inst., Dokki, Giza, Egypt

Abstract

This study was conducted in two districts (Zagazig and Huseinia) of Sharkia governorate to through some lights about the breeding features of the Palm Dove, Streptopeliasenegalensis. In total, 32 nests were recorded in different habitats during the period of study. The total number of monitored nests (old and new) was differed from one year to another being 34, 54 and 37 nests for 2020, 2021 and 2022, respectively. The percentages of nests with eggs (active nests) were also differed from one yearto another recording 62.16%, 79.4% and 87.03% for 2020, 2021 and 2022,respectively. The average number of eggs/active nest (clutch size) was relatively similar for the years of study ranged between 1.72 to 1.77 eggs/nests. The mean period of eggs incubation was ranged between 15–16.7 days. Hatchability% of the eggs laid was differed according to the season of the year, whereas the highest value was recorded in summer season (86.39%) while the lowest was occurred in autumn (72.67%). Fledging period was prolonged during winter and autumn and shortened during summer and spring. The highest breeding success was recorded in spring season (95%) and the lowest one was occurred in winter season (79.05%). Numbers of fledges were less than the number of hatched chicks and differed according to the season of the years recording the least numbers in Winter and the highest numbers in Spring and Autumn. The number of clutches per each monitored pairs per a year was differed from one pair to another and from one season to another for the same pair, however, it was irregular in most cases due to different consideration.

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