Reproductive Capability of Wild Hatching-Year Mourning Doves in Alabama

The proportion of hatching-year (HY) mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) capable of breeding was determined in eastcentral Alabama from July to October 1981 and June to September 1982. Crop and gonadal data were collected from 170 HY doves that were approximately 70-131 days old. Cholesterol (Ch), tot...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of wildlife management 1987-01, Vol.51 (1), p.204-211
Main Authors: White, Lisa M., Mirarchi, Ralph E., Lisano, Michael E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Autoecology
Aves
Biological and medical sciences
Breeding
Breeding seasons
Doves
Female animals
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Male animals
Ovaries
Oviducts
Photoperiod
Puberty
Testes
Vertebrata
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Summary:The proportion of hatching-year (HY) mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) capable of breeding was determined in eastcentral Alabama from July to October 1981 and June to September 1982. Crop and gonadal data were collected from 170 HY doves that were approximately 70-131 days old. Cholesterol (Ch), total protein (TP), and calcium (Ca) blood concentrations also were measured as possible indicators of puberty attainment. More (P < 0.05) males (25.3%) than females (6.6%) were reproductively active (RA). Testes of HY males attained puberal weights and some had spermatozoa present by 80 days of age. Females exhibited ovarian development indicative of puberty attainment after 93 days of age. Reproductive potential of both sexes tended to increase with age, provided development occurred during the height of the breeding season, Hatching-year birds collected near the end of the breeding season showed little indication of puberty attainment, probably because of constraints of a decreasing photoperiod. All blood assays tested could be used as nonlethal sampling techniques for puberty attainment. No differences (P > 0.05) in Ch, TP, and Ca concentrations occurred between breeding and nonbreeding HY males. Cholesterol and Ca concentrations of HY females were correlated (P < 0.01) with ovary weight, oviduct weight, and sum of the 3 largest ovarian follicle diameters (IFD) and showed the best potential as indicators of puberty attainment.
ISSN:0022-541X
1937-2817
DOI:10.2307/3801657