Mourning Dove Nesting on Tobosa Grass-Mesquite Rangeland Sprayed with Herbicides and Burned

Abstract

A 2-year study of the effects herbicide spraying, and particularly, prescribed burning might have on mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) nesting ecology in rangelands infested with mesquite revealed that the loss of trees as nesting sites was compensated by the occurrence of gound nesting. Newly burned areas fostered better utilization (i.e., higher nesting densities) than did older burns except under drought conditions. Ground nests did not suffer from excessive predation, and differences in the productivity of ground nests probably were related to nesting density rather than to the apparent suitability of the site. Ground nests were more successful than tree nests.