CONSOMMATION HIVERNALE DE NOURRITURE A BETAIL PAR LES PIGEONS

The stomach contents of pigeons were analyzed to evaluate the damage these birds cause in livestock feed troughs during winter. Our results indicate that members of this species captured at the Lennoxville Research Station consumed almost exclusively corn and barley. The corn and barley were ingested in a 1.2:1 ratio (P < 0.01). Corn and barley were respectively identified in 97.5 and 92.4% of the stomachs. The hour of capture and weather influenced the amount of grain ingested. Males and females ate approximately the same quantity of food. The comparison of the results obtained by volumetric and gravimetric analyses of stomach contents demonstrate no significant difference (P < 0.01) between these methods. A maximum of 434 pigeons frequented the livestock feed troughs during the winter. Corn and barley thus consumed by this species alone was calculated to be at least 0.55 and 0.46 ton, respectively.