Urbanisation of the Common Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus) in Southeast Hungary and its impact on the population of Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)

Abstract

Abstract The Common Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus Linnaeus, 1758) has very large populations in the European cities. However, the urbanisation of the species in the Maros–Körös köze region (Maros–Körös Interfluve) is recent and is happening before our eyes. In our study, we summarized our observations on the urbanised populations of the species in the region. Populations of the species in populated areas are currently spreading rapidly in the Maros–Körös köze region. In the past, it was a breeding species in the landscape of suburban areas far from populated areas. In recent years, it has appeared in towns and villages. It did not gradually arrive from the outer area of the settlements towards the interior of populated areas, but it was precisely in the park areas of the centres of settlements that the first pairs in these areas appeared and spread outwards. During the study, we also surveyed the nesting populations of the Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto [Frivaldszky, 1838]) in the sampling areas, using the same methodology, so that we could also examine the proportion of both urbanised species. The population of that species was decreasing during the study period. The pairs of Common Wood Pigeons were more common in the central, more parked parts of the settlements, while the Eurasian Collared Dove was mainly found in peripheral areas. The increase in the population of the Common Wood Pigeons will cause major problems for agriculture, for which there is no solution at present.