Rob Williams
Well-known member
I haven't seen any Collared Doves now for ages and have seen none in my garden for years. Are their numbers in decline?
Rob
Rob
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What's happened to all the Collared Doves? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Rob Williams
- Start date
Sandra (Taylor)
Well-known member
Our situation with them is the same as Kits. No change for months. Sometimes 3 - as many as 5.
chris butterworth
aka The Person Named Above
What has probably happened is that when Collared Doves moved into Britain the rapidly expanded to fill all and any available niches that were remotely available, in order to maximise the possibility of survival. Since that initial phase they have started to be more selective in their habitat choice and the overall population has fallen to a level where it has now stabilised.
Chris
Chris
NoSpringChicken
Well-known member
I have two which are more or less resident in my garden and three or four more in the in the immediate neighbourhood. 'My' two fly down for food as soon as I step out of the back door. They will let me get to within a couple of feet of them but won't quite feed out of my hand.
Ron
Ron
ChrisKten
It's true, I quite like Pigeons
No noticeable change in numbers locally, but I can see how they might struggle in an Urban environment.
Although there are exceptions, as a rule Collys aren't bold enough or smart enough to get the better of their main competition for food; Feral Pigeons. Collys aren't as timid as people think, and are very aggressive towards each other when defending a food source. In fact, I've seen a few Collys jump onto the back of a Pigeon and wingslap it, to defend a food source. But they're still generally timid around people, or in an environment that they're unsure of.
I've trays in the trees for the Collys, that worked fine until the Pigeons figured out how to get to them. I now fill the trays when the Pigeons are occupied with food on the ground. The Collys will stand their ground for a while at the trays, but Pigeons are bigger, and neither have weapons (Talons), so size wins.
An example of why they suffer at the expense of the Pigeons:
Often there will be a few Collys on the fence, and anything up to 60+ Pigeons on the roof. When I throw out a handful of seed the Collys look at me - look around - look at the seed - decide it's safe, and fly down to eat. While the Collys were doing all that, the Pigeons flew down and ate all of the seed.
Also, if there's say, 6 Collys and 6 Pigeons on the ground, and I throw seed; the Pigeons are much faster at getting to and eating the seed than the Collys.
I would imagine that it's different in the Countryside, but in towns, Collys can't compete IME.
Although there are exceptions, as a rule Collys aren't bold enough or smart enough to get the better of their main competition for food; Feral Pigeons. Collys aren't as timid as people think, and are very aggressive towards each other when defending a food source. In fact, I've seen a few Collys jump onto the back of a Pigeon and wingslap it, to defend a food source. But they're still generally timid around people, or in an environment that they're unsure of.
I've trays in the trees for the Collys, that worked fine until the Pigeons figured out how to get to them. I now fill the trays when the Pigeons are occupied with food on the ground. The Collys will stand their ground for a while at the trays, but Pigeons are bigger, and neither have weapons (Talons), so size wins.
An example of why they suffer at the expense of the Pigeons:
Often there will be a few Collys on the fence, and anything up to 60+ Pigeons on the roof. When I throw out a handful of seed the Collys look at me - look around - look at the seed - decide it's safe, and fly down to eat. While the Collys were doing all that, the Pigeons flew down and ate all of the seed.
Also, if there's say, 6 Collys and 6 Pigeons on the ground, and I throw seed; the Pigeons are much faster at getting to and eating the seed than the Collys.
I would imagine that it's different in the Countryside, but in towns, Collys can't compete IME.
Rob Williams
Well-known member
Thanks for the replies, reassured to see that they are still plentiful, but I'm nor alome in seeing less.
Monahawk
Well-known member
Always plenty in Monaghan town but outside it where I live they can be scarce. A pair nested in a neighbours garden a few years back, or at least attempted to, but a sparrowhawk had both for lunch [ not at the same time ].
They seem pretty dopey birds, sitting on top of TV aerials cooing away oblivious to any dangers. Ripe targets for a hunting hawk. Could be Rob, that a sparrowhawk has helped to quell the local collard dove population where you live. They will be back though.
Si.
They seem pretty dopey birds, sitting on top of TV aerials cooing away oblivious to any dangers. Ripe targets for a hunting hawk. Could be Rob, that a sparrowhawk has helped to quell the local collard dove population where you live. They will be back though.
Si.
Cheshire Birder
Well-known member
Since Collared Dove is one of the few species that can breed all year round in Britain, maybe the cold winters of 2009/10 and 2010/11 had an impact on the breeding sucess of the species.
CB
CB
Collard doves are very dependant on man . In my area ( Norfolk) the majority are in towns , villages or around grain storage barns and in the open countryside quite uncommon. 30 years ago we used to see huge flocks of 1000 or more in some areas where grain was stored ( ie kings Lynn docks ) , but modern hygene rules means the doves are now excluded from this supply of food. They are still common in towns and villages , but in much smaller flocks and any in excess of 40 are noteworthy.
Another factor are sparrowhawks. When they first colonised sparrowhawks were rare in East Anglia , but today they are quite common and the females prey frequently on collard doves. Indeed they seem to go out of their way to target them. Perhaps they are just the right sized prey for female sparrowhawks.
I cant say I have noticed any serious decline in recent years , but the huge flocks of the 1970s and 80s seem to be a thing of the past.
Another factor are sparrowhawks. When they first colonised sparrowhawks were rare in East Anglia , but today they are quite common and the females prey frequently on collard doves. Indeed they seem to go out of their way to target them. Perhaps they are just the right sized prey for female sparrowhawks.
I cant say I have noticed any serious decline in recent years , but the huge flocks of the 1970s and 80s seem to be a thing of the past.
Maroon Jay
Airborne
I saw two of them in Belize yesterday. It is only the fifth recorded sighting of them in Belize. Others being in 1996. 1999, 2010, and 2011.
Fozzybear
Ich bin ein Vogelbeobachter
I don't see 'quite' as many as I used to in my garden but the resident pair are particularly aggressive towards others so tend to chase them away as soon as they enter the area. They're odd ones as they can be both very timid and very bold depending on the situation. I've had quite a number of tame ones here and a few that would feed from my hand. Interesting birds to watch, I really enjoy their antics.
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