A temporal analysis of the foraging flights of feral pigeons (Columba livia f. domestica) from three Italian cities

Abstract

Foraging flights of feral pigeon populations may differ in occurrence and extent from town to town. In this paper, the annual pattern of such flights from three medium‐sized Italian cities (Venice, Parma and Lucca) is described and compared with that recorded for a Mediterranean population of wild rock doves from Sardinia. The data provide evidence of the similarity of these flights both within urban populations and between feral pigeons and wild rock doves. On the other hand, the presented results point to a noticeable flexibility of this behaviour, whose features seem finely adapted to the environmental features of an urban habitat and its surroundings. In particular, the distribution of food resources and of the annual trend of reproductive attempts appear to exert a leading role in shaping the characteristics of these flights.

Keywords:

• Feral pigeon, urban environment, foraging flight, Columba livia, nesting activity, flock size

Acknowledgements

Many thanks are due to counters and field workers G. Bechelli, E. Chierici, M. E. Ferrari, S. Giampaoli, D. Licheri, E. Pollonara, L. Ragionieri, G. Garavini for their intensive effort. We are also grateful to S. Bedini, P. Bennett, D. Haag‐Wackernagel, and E. Rose for commenting on an earlier draft of the manuscript. C.S. was funded by a grant from the Environmental Office of the City Council of Venice to the University of Venice.