CHANGES IN WHITE-WINGED DOVE REPRODUCTION IN SOUTHERN TEXAS, 1954-93

Factors limiting white-winged dove (Zenaida asiatica) reproduction in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas are poorly understood. We documen ted long-term trends in egg density (eggs laid/ha), young density (hat chlings/ha), fledgling density, egg success, and fledging success in b rush and citrus habitats with data collected 1954-93. All density esti mates in citrus, and fledging success in brush and citrus, showed line ar declines (P less than or equal to 0.04) during 1954-93. Egg density in brush did not change (P = 0.91) 1954-68, but young and fledgling d ensities showed quadratic trends during the same period. All densities in brush showed linear declines (P less than or equal to 0.005) from 1969 through 1993. We evaluated 6 factors hypothesized as limiting dov e reproduction; current limiting factors may include overhunting and e ffects of certain pesticides.