The species occurred historically only in and around India, and a massive expansion in the 1600s brought it into Turkey and the Balkans. Man influenced the spread of the Eurasian Collared Dove in two ways, adaptation of the environment and domestication of birds. The Eurasian Collared Dove eats seeds, grains, and berries. Juveniles resemble adults except for reddish edges to body feathers, brown eyes, and brownish red legs. Incubation lasts 14-18 days when helpless young hatch with some down on them. She incubates the eggs during the night and the male takes the day shift. The female commonly lays three clutches a year and sometimes six. It nests in trees, laying two white eggs in a stick nest. The upper tail shows gray with a broad white outer band. The primaries appear black, the body gray and the central wing white. The tri-colored wing pattern of this dove becomes visible when the bird displays or lands. At close range, you will pick out the reddish brown iris. The head shows round with a steep forehead, thin dark bill and dark eye in a plain face. Sexes have similar size length 11.5 in wingspan 13.8 in weight 5-6 oz. The outer half of the tail looks pure white, but the central tail feathers appear grayish. The squared off tail sports a prominent black base. Its English name derives from the half-collar on its nape.Ī closer look reveals short, pinkish-red legs supporting a small, slim dove with long broad wings and a long squared-off tail held closed in flight but fanned in display or on braking to land. The Greeks thought the dove's call, 'Decaocto' which translates as 'eighteen', echoed the mournful cries of her human existence, therefore, Streptopeleia decaocto, the Eurasian Collared Dove. They changed her into a dove to escape her misery. The species name recalls an overworked, underpaid servant girl who prayed to the gods for help.

In Greek, 'streptos' means 'collar' and 'peleia' means 'dove', hence the genus name Streptopeleia. The presence of a black half-collar will cinch it. Next, you will note the Eurasian Collared Dove's squared tail, rather than Mourning Dove's pointed tail. You can distinguish this recent invader from the native Mourning Dove by their larger size and different, slightly lower call with the accent on the second beat. I noted a Mourning Dove call but Art corrected me, 'No, it’s a Eurasian Collared Dove'.Ĭheck that dove at your feeder, it may be a Eurasian Collared Dove. Art Morley and I walked by the cypress trees in the six a.m. The other day, I helped with a breeding bird survey at the Point Cabrillo Light Station.

Collared dove call