Diet of the Azores Woodpigeon Columba palumbus azorica during the Non-Breeding Period

The study of the diets of wild birds is essential for understanding their trophic role, informing conservation strategies, and identifying environmental pressures to guide habitat management. The feeding habits of the Azores Woodpigeon Columba palumbus azorica, endemic to the Azores archipelago (North Atlantic Ocean), are little known and ecological interactions between the bird and the local flora remain unclear. Given its unique traits within the local avian community, it may play an important role in the dispersal of many plant species and therefore be a key element in modelling the Azorean landscape. This study aimed to assess the consumption of native, exotic and cultivated plant species during the non-breeding period and determine if feeding habits differ between sexes and islands. Crop contents of 78 specimens collected on seven islands were analysed by traditional morphological examination. The dry mass and frequency of occurrence of each food item were determined. Richness, estimated diversity and diet composition were compared between sexes and islands. Our findings indicate that the Azores Woodpigeon feeds on a wide variety of plant materials, including green leaves, fleshy fruits, seeds and tubers which suggests a great trophic plasticity. A total of 50 different diet components were found. The most frequent were green leaves of herbaceous species (in particular, clovers Trifolium spp. and docks Rumex spp.), tubers of sedge Cyperus sp. and fruits of Faia Morella faya. The consumption of the fruits from native Faia and endemic Azorean Laurustinus Viburnum treleasei was confirmed. Corn Zea mays and grapes Vitis sp. were the only two cultivated species identified. Diet diversity and composition differed between islands but not between sexes. This study contributes to a better understanding of the feeding habits of the Azores Woodpigeon.