(Columbiformes: Columbidae): First Record for the Madeira Archipelago, Portugal

istributio Portugal (Columbiformes: D Columbidae): First record for the Madeira Archipelago, Ricardo Rocha raphic g eo G

n 016. Lisboa, Portugal.

o Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Centro de Biologia Ambiental, Bloco C2, Campo Grande, 1749-

University of Helsinki, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Department of Biosciences, PO Box 65 (Viikinkaari 1), FI-00014. otes [email protected]

N Helsinki, Finland. E-mail: Abstract: An adult Laughing Dove Spilopelia senegalensis (Linnaeus, 1766) was recorded in Deserta Grande Island,

S. senegalensis in Portugal. Desertas Islands Nature Reserve, Madeira Archipelago, Portugal. This represents the first record of the species for the archipelago and the third confirmed record of

The Laughing Dove Spilopelia senegalensis (Linnaeus, observed in Deserta Grande Island do not suggest that it The condition of the beak and feathers of the individual 1766) is a small columbiform et native al. to most of sub- Saharan Africa, the Middle East and southern Asia east of whichmay have constitute been previously the Desertas captive. Islands However, Nature Reservedespite theare Indiathe Macaronesian and Bangladesh region (Baptista (de Juana et1997). al. The species fact that Deserta Grande and the two other small islands has expanded its distribution to the Canary Islands, within 2000) and has uninhabited, the possibility that the observed bird may Throughoutestablished its breeding range, S. populations senegalensis in five of the seven have escaped from captivity in Madeira Island, located main islands of this Spanish archipelago (Tosco 2010). 25 km northwest of Deserta Grande, cannot be excluded. is a relatively common The species is an uncommon captive bird in Madeira, and species, occupying dry scrub and farmland habitats, and also found close et to al. human settlements. It feeds mainly on small seeds but also eats other plant matter and small toinsects the Turtle(Baptista Dove Streptopelia1997). turtur This dove species is similar in size and appearance (Linnaeus, 1758),S. senegalensisthat has been found to breed in the Madeira and Canaries archipelagos (Zino 1991; Tosco 2010). However, can be easily distinguished from the latter due to the absence of black coloration on the scapulars and inner wingS. covertssenegalensis and thein the different Madeira pattern archipelago, of the Portugal.neck feathers (Jonsson 1994). This note reports on the first record of S. senegalensis (Figure 1)

On 18 October 2009, a solitary was observed using a small waterhole in the vicinity of the Madeira Natural Park wardens’ house in Deserta Grande vegetation.Island (32°31’5.38” This species N, 16°30’44.30”had not been W,previously 12 m asl.), recorded in an area of basaltic rocks surrounded by sparse herbaceous in the archipelagoet al. and therefore this record constitutes a new addition to the checklist of the Madeira archipelago (Romano 2010; Equipa Atlas das Aves do Arquipélago speciesda Madeira had 2013). been approved by the Portuguese Rarities Prior to this record only two other observations of the

Committee of the Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds.et al. Both records occurred in the Portuguese mainland, where Figure 1. Spilopelia et al. senegalensis observed in Deserta Grande Island, Madeira Archipelago, one individual was recorded in Cascais inet 1996 al (Catry Portugal. Photos Lateral by Ricardo (A) and Rocha. dorsal (B) views of the adult 2010) and another in Faro in 2008 (Jara 2010), and were likely escaped captive birds (Catry . 2010). 432 Rocha | First record of Spilopelia senegalensis for the Madeira Archipelago

Jara, J., P. Alfrey, H. Costa, R. Matias, C.C. Moore, J.L. Santos and R.Anuário Tipper. Grande.would have The most observation likely originated reported from here the constitutesCanary Islands, the Ornitológico2010. Aves de ocorrência rara ou acidental em Portugal, Relatório do located approximately 429S. senegalensis km southeast in Portugal. of Deserta Comité PortuguêsBirds de of RaridadesEurope with referente North Africaaos anos and de the 2008. Middle East. 7(1): 3-71. Jonsson, L. 1992. third confirmed record of London: Christoper Helm Publications. 559 p. Acknowledgments: Romano, H., C. Correia-Fagundes, F. ZinoBoletim and M. do Biscoito. Museu Municipal 2010. Birds do The author wishes to thank the Madeira Natural Funchalof the archipelagos of Madeira and the Selvagens II – New records Park for allowing his work in the Desertas Islands Nature Reserve, Rafael and checklist update (1995-2010).In Matias for confirming the identification of the species and commenting 60(326): 5-44. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias. on early drafts of this manuscript and Sasha Vasconcelos for revising the Tosco,Hongos, R.B. 2010. plantas Chordata; y animales p. 367-374 terrestres2009 M. Arechavaleta, S. Rodríguez, English.Literature Cited N.Canarias. Zurita and A. García (ed.). . Canarias:Streptopelia Gobierno turtur, de in In Handbook of the Madeira. Bocagiana Baptista,birds L.F,of the P.W. world, Trail Volumeand H.M. 4: Horblit.Sandgrouse 1997. to CuckoosOrder Columbiformes;. p. Zino, P.A. 1991. Breeding of the Turtle Dove, 60-243 J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott and J. Sargatal (ed.). 146(1): 1-4. Aves de Portugal:Barcelona: Ornitologia Lynx doEdicions. território continental Catry, P., H. Costa, G. Elias and R. Matias. 2010. . Lisboa: Assírio e Alvim.Ardeola 944 p. de Juana, E. and Comité de Rarezas de la Sociedad Española deAtlas Ornitología. das Aves do2000. Arquipélago Report on da rare Madeira. birds in Spain in 1998. 47(1): 141-159. Received: September 2012 Equipa Atlas das Aves do Arquipélago da Madeira 2013. Accepted: January 2013 Electronic Database accessible at http:// Published online: May 2013 www.atlasdasaves.netmadeira.com/. Captured on 08 January 2013. Editorial responsibility: Dárius P. Tubelis

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