Collared Doves (1 Viewer)

[Kiscokid]

Am I alone here in thinking that the collared doves are quite cute? I appear to be falling in love with some of the birds that visit my garden this year - how sad is that !!
I think it has something to do with working from home this year - I do two days a week and my study overlooks the garden; feeding post, hangers, etc.

I had 2 sparrows feeding in the middle of 4 of them this morning on my seed tray - it was quite a strange sight - I'm not sure who got there first !

I live in Bucks - quite near helenol I think - and I also have heaps of wood pigeons around.....but they never seem to want to come to the feeder....but maybe that's a good thing?

 

[senatore]

We have 2 collared doves in our area and one of them ,presumeably the male,is very aggressive with other birds including magpies .I wonder if this is unusual?

 

[helenol]

Hi Kisko, you do indeed live not that far away.

I don't have any collared doves where I am, but I do have loads of wood pigeons (obviously!). The pigeons tend to stay in the woods, occasionally coming to the birdbath. I do have one regular wood though that comes to feed every day. I don't mind them, after all, I am living in "their" surroundings.

Regards

 

[Darren Oakley-Martin]

Collared Doves are indeed very aggressive and territorial and will often scare away smaller birds from feeding stations. Their rapid colonisation of the UK over the last 50 years is testament to their aggression.

Perhaps you could deliver birdfood in a way which the Doves cannot expoit so readiy?

Aesthetically, they are pleasing, but their behaviour, (not the bird's fault obviously) leaves a lot be desired in my book.

Regards,

 

[David FG]

They are one of the commonest garden birds in Kent and I agree totally with Darrenom - they are indeed very aggressive towards other species. Beneath that 'butter wouldn't melt' exterior lies a thuggish heart!

 

[Kiscokid]

I'll be keeping an eye out for any antics then ..... so far so good - although the robin seems to be wary

 

[Darren Oakley-Martin]

Could Collared Doves be the new Feral Pigeons?

Oh dear.................what have I said.

 

[helenol]

Slightly off topic, but the wood pigeon who regularly feeds from a feeder placed on a wall came along the other day, saw the GSW at the feeder, and promptly headbutted it! The GSW flew off.

 

[louiseuk]

No your not alone! I too get collered doves and I enjoy watching them.
But I also get a few woodpigeons and yesterday I saw a baby pigeon and he is so cute and fluffy, this morning I saw him again this time on my table and he was just sitting there for about an hour |=)|

 

[songbird6666]

I am surprised to hear that some of you say the doves are aggressive toward other species, I have seen no such behaviour here, in fact quite the opposite. Maybe the Welsh variety are better mannered! They are the most timid (apart from Magpies) of any species I have coming to my feeders, and take off at the slightest scare (with good reason I feel as they are sitting targets for the nasty sparrowhawk!) Starlings push them out of the way, but on the whole they are happy to share with finches, sparrows and the tits. I have sometimes had as many as 40 come to feed at the same time, I suppose this could be deemed as threatening because of their vast numbers, but the sparrows are completely un-phased by it, and carry on regardless.

 

[Darren Oakley-Martin]

Hi Songbird,

I find that very strange. Collared Doves are becoming something of a pest in gardens in this area.

Maybe it's time for the Englsish and Welsh populations to be split in into 2 distinct races; Streptopelia decaocto passivus and Streptopelia decaocto aggresssivus?

Regards,

I am surprised to hear that some of you say the doves are aggressive toward other species, I have seen no such behaviour here, in fact quite the opposite. Maybe the Welsh variety are better mannered! They are the most timid (apart from Magpies) of any species I have coming to my feeders, and take off at the slightest scare (with good reason I feel as they are sitting targets for the nasty sparrowhawk!) Starlings push them out of the way, but on the whole they are happy to share with finches, sparrows and the tits. I have sometimes had as many as 40 come to feed at the same time, I suppose this could be deemed as threatening because of their vast numbers, but the sparrows are completely un-phased by it, and carry on regardless.

 

[Darren Oakley-Martin]

oh, and Magpies? Timid? They may well be when they see a human around, but look at the reaction of other birds to their presence!

 

[helenol]

The collared doves in my previous garden were never aggressive.

 

[Darren Oakley-Martin]

Must be phenomenon confined to Birchington, (David) and Bedford, (Me) then.

 

[Darren Oakley-Martin]

The Collared Dove's 'aggressive streak' may come from it's high reproductive output.

Extract from The New Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland 1988-1991'-

'..........throughout the breeding range the Collared Dove has a long breeding season: mid February to early October in Britain, (Coombs et al 1981, Robertson 1990)...........they frequently start a new clutch while still attending to dependent fledged young, and sometimes while they still have young in the nest, (Robertson 1990).

Perhaps this breeding behaviour provides some insight into their ultra-territorial behaviour and their aggression when competing for food with other species?

I would be interested to know if any studies have been carried out on this issue.

Regards,

 

[songbird6666]

oh, and Magpies? Timid? They may well be when they see a human around, but look at the reaction of other birds to their presence!

Ah yes, I agree there, momentarily at any rate.
And lol at the previous post! :'D

 

[Saphire]

I have witnessed the aggressiveness of collared Doves at my feeder and it isn't a pretty site. I was so tempted to interfear one day, when I watched one Dove grab hold of a goldfinch by the neck and shake it then throw it to one side. The poor finch was really squacking, fortunately it was okay but I thought its days where numbered, it then went to attack the woodpigeons, they scarpered quick.

 

[pauco]

We have 2 collared doves in our area and one of them ,presumeably the male,is very aggressive with other birds including magpies .I wonder if this is unusual?

They are the best magpie deterrent your garden can have, they are also a very elegant bird.

 

[SarahK]

Being quite new to this birdfeeding thing I was quite pleased to see collared doves because they look quite pretty - I agree with you there Kiscokid - and it means that there is another bird coming into the garden, which I still find exciting.

I'm now worried. I have up to four visiting at a time, and although I have seen them sharing the birdtable with starlings, maybe they match each other in agressiveness? Should I try to discourage them, and if so then how?

 

[Mickymouse]

Being quite new to this birdfeeding thing I was quite pleased to see collared doves because they look quite pretty - I agree with you there Kiscokid - and it means that there is another bird coming into the garden, which I still find exciting.

I'm now worried. I have up to four visiting at a time, and although I have seen them sharing the birdtable with starlings, maybe they match each other in agressiveness? Should I try to discourage them, and if so then how?

I would carry on as you are, I have several Collared Doves visit every day and have done for ages and I have never seen a sign of aggresiveness in my garden but I don't get Magpies wonder if that's why.

Mick