White-winged dove

The White-winged dove (Zenaida asiatica) belongs to the family Columbidae. While widely recognized as a bird species, in agricultural regions, it is often classified as a significant pest due to its habit of consuming large quantities of agricultural produce and causing damage to field crops during critical growth stages.

This species is known to cause damage to a variety of crops, including corn, sorghum, wheat, and sunflowers. Furthermore, in fruit-growing regions, white-winged doves frequently feed on citrus fruits and various drupes, causing mechanical injury to the trees and substantial losses to the harvest, which significantly affects the profitability of orchards.

Regarding their biology, these doves are gregarious birds, living and feeding in large flocks. Their life cycle is marked by high reproductive potential and adaptability to human-altered environments. They are highly mobile, allowing them to exploit different feeding grounds throughout the day, which complicates protection measures for large agricultural areas.

The extent of the damage is often severe. They peck at seeds immediately after planting and attack ripening grains and fruit. The primary threat lies in their social behavior: a large flock can strip a field of its crop in a very short period. This rapid consumption pattern makes the white-winged dove a persistent problem during the harvest season.

To mitigate the impact of this pest, farmers employ a range of protection strategies. Effective control often involves the use of propane cannons, pyrotechnics, and automated acoustic bird scaring systems. Additionally, physical barriers like netting are used for high-value orchard crops, while strategic harvesting timing and the use of decoy crops can help divert the flocks away from the main production areas.