From Opus

Photo by pnicholls

Streptopelia decaocto

[edit] Identification

Length 32cm, weight 47cm.
A large, pale dove with a distinctive black collar around the back of the neck only - does not extend to the chin. The collar is often outlined with a thin white ring on both sides. Dark red eye, grey bill, dark primaries, and a long-tail tipped in white.

[edit] Similar Species

Similar in morph to Mourning Dove, but lighter in colour, and tail is squared off rather than pointed.

Very similar to the Ringed Turtle Dove, but that introduced species is rare and local, only established breeding colonies in some southern cities, notably in California. Also a frequent escape.

[edit] Distribution

Photo by riccardo

Europe, Jan, North America, expanding rapidly to the west and north.
Native to south-eastern Europe and Asia, this dove was introduced into the U.S. in the Bahamas in 1974, soon made its way to Florida, and has been rapidly spreading across North America ever since. Published distribution maps can be considered obsolete very quickly; the species is now established well into the far western states, British Columbia, and the Great Lakes.

There is some speculation that it is occupying an ecological niche left vacant with the extinction of the Passenger Pigeon.

[edit] Taxonomy

Polytypic. Consists of two subspecies.

[edit] Subspecies^[1]

• S. d. decaocto:

• Europe to Middle East, India, Sri Lanka, western China and Korea

• S. d. xanthocycla:

• Myanmar (Shan States) to southern China (Yunnan) and eastern China

[edit] Habitat

Mostly suburban environments with light vegetation.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Movement

Forages on the ground, but frequently flies to perches in trees. Skilled and fast flyer.

[edit] Vocalisation

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.

• List of references

[edit] External Links