A medium-sized pale dove with distinctive black neck "collar." Introduced to the US in 1980s; now widespread.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The Eurasian collared dove, often simply just collared dove, is a dove species native to Europe, Asia, and northern Africa. It has also been introduced to Japan, North and Central America, and the islands in the Caribbean.
Source: Wikipedia — Eurasian collared dove Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Pale sandy-gray dove, larger and chunkier than a Mourning Dove, with a black half-collar on the hind neck and a square (not pointed) tail with a broad white tip below.
Similar species. Mourning Dove is slimmer with a long pointed tail and no neck collar; the collar and square tail mark the Eurasian Collared-Dove.
Voice. A repeated three-note 'coo-COO-coo' (middle note emphasized) and a harsh, nasal flight call.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Seeds, grains, fruits.
Behavior. An Old World dove that colonized North America explosively after escaping captivity in the Bahamas in the 1970s; now widespread around towns and farms, where it feeds on grain.
§ Range
Native to Eurasia; introduced and naturalized across the US
§ Habitat
Suburbs, agricultural areas
§ Threats
In US: outcompetes native doves. Disease transmission.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the eurasian collared-dove is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
In US: support native dove populations. Don't feed at feeders.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Eurasian collared dove
- www.allaboutbirds.org — authoritative profile of Streptopelia decaocto
- IUCN Red List — search for Streptopelia decaocto
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Streptopelia decaocto
§ Sources cited
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology — All About Birds
- National Audubon Society
- iNaturalist
- IUCN Red List
