Incidencia del uso de reclamos alimenticios sobre la Tórtola Común

Abstract

The use of food as an attraction for turtle-doves and other species is a recent management practice, which is currently very extended throughout Spain, in spite of its prohibition in the legislation in force. In the present work, the authors analyse the use of such attractions and their effect on the Turtle Dove. In order to do so, a thorough monitoring of 113 hunting grounds disseminated all over Extremadura was carried out during 1999. The lures that were used the most were wheat and the sunflower seeds, as well as the mixtures of both and with other seeds (corn, vetch, millet, etc). The proportion of young birds shot down is much greater with respect to adult birds in areas in which such attractions are used, as opposed to where they are not, sunflower seeds being the kind of lure that produces the most negative effects for the species.