Scaring Effectiveness of Eyespot Balloons on the Rufous Turtle Dove, Streptopelia orientalis (LATHAM), in a Flight Cage

Abstract

The effectiveness of two types of eyespot balloons at causing avoidance by birds was examined in a flight cage using three captive doves, Streptopelia orientalis. A field where soybean seeds were systematically placed was divided into several plots in which the following three treatments were applied : placing of balloons with and without eyespots and no placing of balloons. The effectiveness of balloons was compared in terms of preference for the plots, calculated by measuring the number of beans eaten. Doves showed a tendency to avoid plots that had balloons. However, the intensity of avoidance differed between balloons with and without eyespots only n the first experiment, although the differences were not significant. That is, the scaring effectiveness of eyespot patterns is not very strong, and becomes extinct rapidly. These results suggest that the scaring effectiveness of eyespot balloons is mainly due to the curious stimulus rather than to the eyespot patterns themselves.