Collared-Dove
[order] COLUMBIFORMES | [family] Columbidae | [latin] Streptopelia decaocto | [UK] Collared-Dove | [FR] Tourterelle turque | [DE] Turkentaube | [ES] Tortola Turca | [NL] Turkse Tortel
Subspecies
| Genus | Species | subspecies | Breeding Range | Breeding Range 2 | Non Breeding Range |
Physical charateristics
Collared Dove has pale greyish sandy plumage. Upperparts are pale buffy-grey on back, wings and uppertail. Underparts are light buffy-pink on breast and belly.
Wings show light scaly pattern with pale edges, and dark primaries. Long tail has white outer feathers, and grey central feathers. Undertail feathers have black base and broad white tips.
Head is pale sandy grey, with black half-collar on nape. Bill is black, relatively short and thin. Eyes are dark red. Legs and feet are pink.
Both sexes are similar, but female may have browner head than male.
Juvenile lacks black half-collar, and resembles adults.
Collared Dove feeds on the ground, but also frequents bird-feeders in winter. They come to gardens or any places with grain and seeds. They feed in large flocks around farms and grain stores. They may also pick berries from bushes.
Collared Dove is seen solitary, but often in pairs. This species is resident in its range. They are very gregarious.
During courtship displays, male performs some beautiful flights, from roof, tree or other high perch. Male rises up into the air, it claps its wings with noise before to perform a long glide down with wings and tail spread out. On the ground, mates hop at about one metre high, flapping their wings, and hopping again while calling. They also perform chasing in the air, and they are so beautiful, perched on a wire, “kissing” each other on head, neck and nape.
Wings show light scaly pattern with pale edges, and dark primaries. Long tail has white outer feathers, and grey central feathers. Undertail feathers have black base and broad white tips.
Head is pale sandy grey, with black half-collar on nape. Bill is black, relatively short and thin. Eyes are dark red. Legs and feet are pink.
Both sexes are similar, but female may have browner head than male.
Juvenile lacks black half-collar, and resembles adults.
Collared Dove feeds on the ground, but also frequents bird-feeders in winter. They come to gardens or any places with grain and seeds. They feed in large flocks around farms and grain stores. They may also pick berries from bushes.
Collared Dove is seen solitary, but often in pairs. This species is resident in its range. They are very gregarious.
During courtship displays, male performs some beautiful flights, from roof, tree or other high perch. Male rises up into the air, it claps its wings with noise before to perform a long glide down with wings and tail spread out. On the ground, mates hop at about one metre high, flapping their wings, and hopping again while calling. They also perform chasing in the air, and they are so beautiful, perched on a wire, “kissing” each other on head, neck and nape.
Listen to the sound of Collared-Dove
[audio:http://www.aviflevoland.nl/sounddb/C/Collared-Dove.mp3]
Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto
| wingspan min.: | 47 | cm | wingspan max.: | 55 | cm |
| size min.: | 31 | cm | size max.: | 33 | cm |
| incubation min.: | 14 | days | incubation max.: | 18 | days |
| fledging min.: | 15 | days | fledging max.: | 18 | days |
| broods: | 4 | eggs min.: | 1 | ||
| eggs max.: | 2 |
Range
Eurasia, Oriental Region : West Europe to India and East China
Habitat
Collared Dove lives in urban and rural areas, farmlands, thickets, orchards, parks, gardens and grain stores.
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE: Collared Dove is native to India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. They migrated to Europe last century, and their range is continuously larger, until above Arctic Circle in Scandinavia.
Species has been introduced in Bahamas in the 1970’s, and now is extending its range from Florida to Texas, with sightings increasing in California.
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE: Collared Dove is native to India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. They migrated to Europe last century, and their range is continuously larger, until above Arctic Circle in Scandinavia.
Species has been introduced in Bahamas in the 1970’s, and now is extending its range from Florida to Texas, with sightings increasing in California.
Reproduction
Collared Dove begins to breed in early March until late October. Nest is a very loose platform in tree, hedgerow or dense bush. It is made with some thin twigs and dry stems, very flat and small. Some nests may be lined with soft grass, but most of them are very simple.
Female lays 2 smooth white eggs. Incubation lasts about 14 days by both parents. Chicks hatch altricial, covered with sparse yellowish down. Both parents feed them with crop milk, and young fledge at about 18 to 19 days after hatching. They fly when they are 3 weeks old.
This species may produce several broods per season, from 2 to 4 or 6.
Female lays 2 smooth white eggs. Incubation lasts about 14 days by both parents. Chicks hatch altricial, covered with sparse yellowish down. Both parents feed them with crop milk, and young fledge at about 18 to 19 days after hatching. They fly when they are 3 weeks old.
This species may produce several broods per season, from 2 to 4 or 6.
Feeding habits
Collared Dove feeds mainly on seeds, but also some buds, soft fruits and garbage. They drink by sucking and don’t need to put the head back to swallow.
Conservation
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be increasing, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is extremely large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Streptopelia decaocto is a widespread resident across much of Europe, which accounts
for less than half of its global range. Its European breeding population is very large
(>4,700,000 pairs), and was stable between 1970-1990. Although there were declines
in several countries during 1990-2000, particularly in the north of its European range,
key populations in France, Romania, Russia and Turkey increased or were stable,
and the species increased overall.
Since the beginning of this century this dove, originally a species of India, has colonised Europe via Turkey. It inhabits now most of the continent, reaching 55
Streptopelia decaocto is a widespread resident across much of Europe, which accounts
for less than half of its global range. Its European breeding population is very large
(>4,700,000 pairs), and was stable between 1970-1990. Although there were declines
in several countries during 1990-2000, particularly in the north of its European range,
key populations in France, Romania, Russia and Turkey increased or were stable,
and the species increased overall.
Since the beginning of this century this dove, originally a species of India, has colonised Europe via Turkey. It inhabits now most of the continent, reaching 55