Abstract:

During 1970 crop samples were taken from nestlings of the eared dove Zenaid auriculata chysauchenia in the eastem plains of Córdoba, Argentine Republic, where this dove has become a serious agricultural pest. Seeds and crop milk are the most important food items. No fruits or animal food were found. During the first days of the nestling's life, crop milk plays an important role, which rapidly decreases afterwards (fig. 1). The seeds of cultivated species are predominant, beeing mainly sorghum, millet, wheat, peanut, sunflower and maize. Important weed seeds are Amaranthus spp. (Amaranthaceae), Chenopodium spp. (Chenopodiaceae), Argemone subfusiformis (Papaveraceae), Setaria pampeana and Echinochloa colonum (Graminae) (table 1). Nestling's crops have more small seeds and less medium and large size seeds than theaverage adult crop contento Large seeds are absent during the first four days of lHe. Differences between adult and nestling food became less and less apparent as the nestling grows (fig. 3). It means that availability of small seeds is necessary during the breeding period, or af least during early of the nestling's life. Adults rearing cruck (as indicated by milk secretion) tend to feed on smaIler food items (p