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Collared Doves - Hebridean Birds - Western Isles Birds - Birdlife and Bird Sightings in the Hebrides
The Collared Dove is small, slim dove with quite a long tail. These birds have fared extraordinarily well since it first colonised Britain in the mid 1950s. The collared doves are white with pinkish-buff plumage and a distinctive black collar edged with white. The wingtips are dark grey, the bill grey and the feet brown-red. In flight, the tail is black with a broad white band at the end


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Collared Doves - Western Isles Birds Sightings

collared dove western isles
Collared Dove - Western Isles May2009
(Click Image for Larger Pictures)
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Collared Dove - Isle of Lewis
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Collared Dove- Isle of Harris
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Collared Doves- Isle of Lewis
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Collared doves range across Europe (but have only recently reached Spain and Portugal) and are found in India, Sri Lanka and Burma. This dove was seen at Tolsta - Isle of Lewis.
Collared doves are found largely around man, on farms, in gardens and parks, and most of the countryside except the highest regions. This bird posed for us whilst we sat in The Harris Hotel - looking out on their lovely garden.
 
Collared doves from the 1950's have expanded their range from India at a phenomenal rate, to colonise the whole of Europe as far north as Scandinavia. These doves were taking seed from under the bird feeder - Newmarket - Isle of Lewis - Jun 2009
         
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Collared Dove - Isle of Lewis
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Collared Dove - Isle of Lewis
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Collared dove - near Stornoway - Western Isles Bird Sightings
  
Collared dove on the snow - Scottish bird sightings..
   
Bird Overview - Collared Dove
Family
 PIgeons and Doves
Latin name
Streptopelia decaocto

Population		 Common Similar Species Mourning Dove
Ring Turtle Dove
White Winged Dove
Description
The collared doves are distinctive with their buff-pink plumage and black neck collar. These doves are usually seen singly or in pairs. Where food is plentiful - the doves may form flocks.
Size
31-33 cm  (12-13") - 170-240 g  (6-8 oz)
Habitat

These birds can be seen on sea coasts, moorlands, fields and rivers. The birds in the Western Isles breed in varied places - sand dunes, shingle banks also frequently inland on moorland

Food
Collared doves mainly feed on seeds but they will also take berries and other plant material.
Voice
The monotonous, loud cooing song of the Collared Dove sounds like "coo-Coo-coo", but is perhaps best remembered as either "u-nit-ed" or "I don't know".
Breeding
Collared doves usually nest in trees, but nowadays you can also find their nests in buildings.They lay two eggs, which are incubated by both adults for about two weeks. The collared dove chicks fledge after three weeks. The chicks are largely fed on crop milk for the first part of this period.
Misc. Info
The male collared dove makes a showy display flight as it rises into the air. They clap their wings, and then glide down with their wings and tail spread out.
 
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