Collared Dove Facts (Streptopelia Decaocto)

Size: 31-33 cm head to tail

Weight: 170-240g

Wingspan: 47-55 cm

Eggs: 2 per brood

Food: Mixture of seeds, grains, All Year Ground Mix

Nesting: Simple twig structure

Status: Stable

Song: A cooing sound

The Collared Dove’s Latin name is Streptopelia Decaocto, but is also known as the Eurasian Collared Dove. It is part of the Columbidae family, including Pigeons and Doves. Collared Doves only came to the UK in the 1950’s after a major population growth across the Middle East, and now there are 990,000 breeding pairs within the UK.

Appearance

Both males and females are pale grey with a black and white neck collar with red feet. They are small and slim with a long tail. Juveniles don’t have the black and white neck collar. Collared Doves are easily recognised as they look similar to Wood Pigeons.

Where they are found and what they like to eat

Collared Doves can be found around towns and villages all year round where there is a lot of food availability. Their song is a familiar cooing sound, the call can be heard as a harsh "kwurr". They eat a mixture of seeds and grains, including Niger seeds. In the autumn they eat berries, caterpillars and aphids. They eat from the ground or ground tables, they find it difficult to feed from hanging feeders but can sit on feeder trays attached to hanging feeders. Our all year ground and table mix is suitable for the Collared Dove.

Breeding

Breeding season starts in March for Collared Doves. They have 2-5 clutches with 2 eggs laid each time. The eggs are white, smooth and glossy. The eggs are incubated for 14-16 days before hatching and fledge the nest after 18 to 21 days. Both parents share the duty of incubating and feeding the chicks. The nestlings are fed on “crop milk” which is secreted from crops.

Nesting and Territory

Collared Doves have a very simple nest made from twigs, their nests are found in trees and on top of buildings. Their nests can also be in shrubs, gutters and occasionally on satellite dishes. Collared doves are extremely territorial and aggressive, they won’t hesitate to scare smaller birds away from feeding areas. The reason thought to be linked to their territorial streak is due to their high reproductive output.

Extra Information

There were no Collared Doves breeding in Britain before 1955 so there are no conservation measures. Although Collared Doves are one of the top 10 common birds in the UK they have been slowly declining since 2005 due to increasing Woodpigeon numbers and the disease Trichomonosis.