Anybody west of the Mississippi sent these?

[RC Moser]

Have several species of birds at my bird feeders, but I noticed mixed in with Mourning doves was couple of Eurasian Collared Doves (very distintive by the thick black Banded Collar on the back of their necks). I seen these in Florida, but till now never seen any this far West. Tried to get picture but I wasn't quick enough yet. Will try again. Also have few Harris Sparrows, couple Lark sparrows, and What I think are Savannah Sparrows. I also notice these song birds travel and forage in packs. I have seen these along with , bluebirds, house finches, golden finches, and of course the common ones in the area. Sometimes especially when snow on the ground or very cold have 30 to 40 at my feeder and suet out front 5 yards from the window. I also put some seed on the window ledge and get up close view.

[Matt F.]

Happy New Year RC!
Eurasian Collared Doves are exploding in numbers here in southeast Texas.
One interesting (I'm guessing breeding behavior) thing I see them do, is fly straight up in the air, then glide back down in circles to where they had been sitting before.
They also seem to be a bit more confrontational with the local Great-tailed Grackles.....

[John Miller]

RC

I first saw these doves at my mom's house in Kentucky last summer, just south of Elizabethtown in central Kentucky. I thought I was hearing an owl or something during the day; then these big fat doves keep coming to the birdbath. I'm a little "slow" in bird watching and took me a while to realize something was up.
John

[DornCounty]

invasive species. Kansas even has a hunting season for them.

[ccarlin]

these doves are also called ring neck doves....we raise them ourselves in a flight pen.... they are very good birds to raise....we raise them for pets not food,there a lot them seen in the wild along the upper texas coast.

[RC Moser]

"invasive species. Kansas even has a hunting season for them"

Would that be Dove season! I dought could tell the difference in flight due to the speed they fly.

Like I said I just noticed them they could of been around for while. Guess I should of goggled first before posting:???:

[John Barrow]

R. C.,
As Matt has pointed out, these Eurasian Collared Doves are getting more and more common in So. and East Texas. When I left Port O'Connor in 2008, they were very common and even nested there. They are not ornamental ringneck doves like are released at weddings and raised, but an invasive Asian species. I have seen a team of game wardens hunting them in Port O'Connor, trying to reduce their numbers.
Texas Parks and Wildife Magazine has called them "pink starlings" because of their pinkish color during breeding season along with the likelihood they could eventually threaten the survival of mourning doves and white wing doves, common to Texas, and eventually throughout their breeding territory as it expands. In Texas, they are not protected and can be hunted year around. Very few people do however. I'm told they taste like other dove species.
Great observation on your part. Similar to seeing the very earliest starlings to be introduced to N. America over 100 years ago. We all know where that has led us.

[RC Moser]

Thanks, I know when I was out at ASU 10 years ago or so when My son graduated, then what I thought was white wing doves were everywhere. Populated almost as bad as starlings in that area. I guess in the urban invoriment they flourish with little predation. See couple falcons which were probably planted too try to curb the population. Then, they were so bad that you almost stepped on them on beings they were so tame.

[Gobbler T]

They are thick in MS, and the state waisted no time in putting a bag limit on them for hunting (just another way to get money) However they seem to hang out around homes and businesses instead of dove fields, so hunting them poses a challenge. Those of us that live in the country can shoot them out the back door, but only during dove season. Pretty bird though.

I have never killed one myself!

[dsonyay]

One thing I like about them is they are good targets for hawks. I have many of these doves in my area as well as my neighborhood. They provide another target for the hawks. I have a pair that nest in a corner spot of my guttet every year.

I love the calls they make.

[Michael Sanford ~ OK]

I see them up here in Edmond all the time, RC. They are markedly larger than mourning doves.

[Rick Meyer]

For everyone that have bird feeders.......these things will gobble your food like vacuum cleaners. LOL

[RC Moser]

"I see them up here in Edmund all the time", Guess I just noticed them???
"these things will gobble your food like vacuum cleaners. LOL " So That's were all my bird seed is going!!! .

Few years back I went to the Train show and checked out the Pigeon show down at the fair grounds. YOU would not believe how many Pigeons and Doves their are... I seen a giant pigeon (that thing was almost as big as crow) and of course fancy's of all colors. They also had big dove section.... It was very interesting and I really enjoyed it. Haven't came back, but I look for it every year.

[Caroline94535-ND]

We have them here in North Dakota, too. I first noticed them two springs ago. We had one pair hanging around the neighbor hood. Last fall there seemed to be six.


They feed on the ground under my BOSS feeders, which have either no perches or perches far too small for these big ole guys.