Dove and Grackle ID, please, Florida, USA (1 Viewer)

[Daddylion]

I don't know what kind of dove this is, but it's not a mourning so could anyone help with ID? And I think the grackle is a boat-tailed, but I'm no good with southern birds.
Thanks, this is just the first bit I'm sure!

 

[Microtus]

Hi, you have a Boat-tailed Grackle and surely a Eurasian Collared-Dove.

 

[Daddylion]

Thanks for the quick reply!!! And the dove is wild, right? Or at least able to be counted in a life list?

 

[steveo]

I would say boat-tailed grackle and eurasian collared dove.

 

[Microtus]

Yes, Eurasian Collared-Doves in Florida are wild wild wild.

 

[MLoyko]

I agree on both. Keep 'em coming Daddylion, Florida is a great place to jack up your life list.

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Yes, Eurasian Collared-Doves in Florida are wild wild wild.

I didnt realise they had made it to your side of the pond other than as a vagrant. Do they breed in florida?

 

[Microtus]

They breed all over Florida. There are scattered and slowly growing colonies as far north as southern Delaware, though nests may not have been actually found north of North Carolina. I believe (a) nest(s) have been found in southern Pennsylvania. Texas is rife with them; birds have been seen as far north as south(east)ern Alaska, southern Yukon, and Massachusetts.

 

[Gentoo]

They're also common in the deserts east of San Diego. The Imperial Valley is loaded with them in some areas. They've even been seen in San Diego I've found out but I have yet to see them here.

 

[Cheshire Birder]

They breed all over Florida. There are scattered and slowly growing colonies as far north as southern Delaware, though nests may not have been actually found north of North Carolina. I believe (a) nest(s) have been found in southern Pennsylvania. Texas is rife with them; birds have been seen as far north as south(east)ern Alaska, southern Yukon, and Massachusetts.

They have conquered the US quicker than they did in Europe. I just found an article saying they first bred in Florida in 1982. The article suggests it's filling the ecological niche left by the Passenger Pigeon.

 

[Microtus]

I don't think they were identified in Florida until about 1985 or 1986 (?). I remember an article in Birding magazine announcing the recent discovery that it was this species, and not Ringed Turtle-Dove/Barbary Dove, that was currently all over Florida.

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Looks like my source was wrong. I just found a really interesting website called eBird which gives historical distribution maps for USA & Canada.

 

[Microtus]

They were in the state before the Birding article...just nobody knew it.

 

[Daddylion]

Hey thanks guys! Don't worry, tomorrow we're going to Corkscrew Swamp and Sannibell Island so you guys should be kepy busy!

 

[Microtus]

I'd love to go, Daddylion. Have you seen Limpkin yet? I see you have a nice haul of lifebirds in your sigline.

 

[Daddylion]

No I havn't seen a Limpkin yet, but hopefully I will tomarrow. We havn't even gone to a nature place yet, just rest stops. We got the first lifer before the plane even stopped on the runway- we rolled by a drying anhinga.

 

[MLoyko]

Listen for that distinctive call for the Limpkin. That is how I found mine, made me say "What the hell was that?!" good luck, can't wait for your challenges.

-Matt

 

[Daddylion]

Well I didn't see a Limpkin, but I'll look up its call to see if I'd heard it.