A comparison of breeding success of the laughing dove, S. senegalensis, in the wild and in captivity, in Mukuvisi Woodlands and Lake Chivero Recreational Park, Harare, Zimbabwe

Abstract

Breeding success of the Laughing dove, Streptopelia senegalensis between the wild and captive populations has not been well documented in Zimbabwe. This study sought to examine breeding success of S. senegalensis in captivity and in the wild in Mukuvisi Woodlands and Lake Chivero Recreational Park in Harare, Zimbabwe. The study compared breeding attempts, clutch size, incubation period, hatching success, fledging success, and nest predation between the wild and captive populations of S. senegalensis in the wild and captive sites (aviaries) in Mukuvisi Woodlands and Lake Chivero Recreational Park. Data were collected between August 2011 and May 2012. A total of 86 nest sites were located, 18 in Mukuvisi wild habitat, 23 in Mukuvisi aviary, 22 in Lake Chivero wild habitat and 23 in Lake Chivero aviary. No significant differences (p>0.05) were observed in all the pre-incubation and incubation breeding attributes between the captive and wild S senegalensis populations in both study sites. No significant differences (p>0.05) were also observed in all the breeding attributes of S senegalensis between wild nests in Lake Chivero and Mukuvisi Woodlands study sites. We observed significant differences (p<0.05) in breeding attributes in the post incubation period as well as in nest predation levels between the wild and aviary nests in both study sites. Proportions of nestling survival failures were observed to be higher in the aviaries than in the wild in both study sites. Significant differences (p<0.05) were also observed in the hatching and fledging attributes between Lake Chivero aviary and Mukuvisi aviary. Lake Chivero aviary had higher hatching and fledging success rate than Mukuvisi aviary