Resumen

FERNANDEZ-MALDONADO, Viviana N; GORLA, David E  y  BORGHI, Carlos E. Landscape features influencing nesting-site selection of Columba livia and Patagioenas maculosa in a South American desert city. Hornero [online]. 2017, vol.32, n.2, pp.257-268. ISSN 0073-3407.

Urban centers are dominated by species adapted to human presence. The intensity of human activity has a strong influence on habitat selection by animal populations across landscapes. The objectives of this study were to assess the abundance and the spatial distribution of the nests of two species of pigeons (Columba livia and Patagioenas maculosa), and evaluate the effects of human factors on the probability of nesting-site selection in different urban zones within a desert city. Nest abundance increased for Columba livia in city centers and for Patagioenas maculosa in zones away from them, in green areas. The most important variables influencing the probability of nesting-site selection by Columba livia were distance to the main square, distance to food sources and the interaction between distance to food sources and distance to water, along with type and height of buildings. For Patagioenas maculosa, the variables influencing the probability of nestingsite selection were distance to water, human population density, distance to food sources and the interaction between human population density and distance to food sources, along with tree height and diameter of tree canopy. This species selected Platanus×hispanica and Morus spp. as nesting sites. Nesting sites could be a limiting factor for these species, and our results have important implications for choosing appropriate control strategies for the management of urban pigeons in desert environments.

Palabras clave : Desert city; Nesting site; Resource selection; Spatial distribution; Urban ecology.

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