Page 237 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

PIGEONS AND DOVES
Order Columbiformes Family Columbidae Species Streptopelia decaocto
Collared Dove dark eyes

grey area on
upperwings thin black collar
on back of neck
dark wingtips
pale, grey-
brown body subtle pink
ADULT small head
head and
breast
dark tail with
whitish tip
IN FLIGHT
red legs
no collar

sandy buff
body
JUVENILE ADULT
remarkable natural phenomena of the 20th century is the spread
Aof the Collared Dove from extreme southeast Europe to the
whole of the continent. It is now a common sight in farms and FLIGHT: quick, direct, often long, straight flight, or
suburbs in Europe, its rather monotonous triple coo a familar sound rising to glide down in wide arcs on flat wings; wings
on summer mornings. It relies heavily on food provided incidentally typically angled back, bowed.
by people, and increasingly on food put out CONIFERS PREFERRED
specifically for smaller birds. Its display Collared Doves typically roost and
flights are easily seen over any built-up area nest in tall, dense coniferous trees,
with scattered trees in gardens or parks. often in parks or gardens.
VOICE Loud, frequently-repeated triple
coo, cu-cooo-cuk, or cooo-coo-coo; unusually
for a pigeon also a flight call, a nasal gwurrrr.
NESTING Small platform of twigs and
rubbish; 2 eggs; 2 or 3 broods, sometimes
more; all year.
FEEDING Picks up grain, seeds, buds, and
shoots from ground in parks,fields,paddocks,
and gardens; often at bird-tables for seeds.
SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRENCE
In most of Europe except S Spain,
TURTLE DOVE shorter FERAL/TOWN PIGEON more KESTREL 2; Portugal, and N Scandinavia.
see p.236 tail see p.232 upright see p.140 Breeds in pines and warm wooded
chequered stockier when perched areas in S Europe. Widespread in
back
narrow gardens, parks, and around farm
wings
buildings in W Europe after
massive expansion of range.
patchy narrow
thin white colours tail Seen in the UK
tail rim J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 31–33cm (12–13in) Wingspan 47–55cm (18 1 ⁄2 –22in) Weight 150–220g (5–8oz)
Social Small flocks Lifespan Up to 10 years Status Secure†
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