Topic: Collared Doves

[Emm P]

We have a pair of collared doves which visit our garden every day.
Supposed to be a very shy bird, these are getting quite tame.

At the present time - most birds now have their young in tow.
But, I don't ever recall seeing collared doves with their young ones.

Has anyone else seen baby ones?

[honeybee]

Well its so funny that you should mention this Emm, because i was thinking of making a similar post too along those lines.

We have a pair of collared doves that have been here for maybe five or six years now and ive never noticed them breed either which often puzzled me.

Anyway about three weeks ago i notice a baby collared dove on my drive so i looked around and the parents were in tow.

So i thought.....'hmmmm whats going to happen now, will they hang out with the baby or stick together as a couple' :-\

Anyway ive been watching them and the baby is really trying hard to stay with them but they are chasing it off, and now ive not seen it for a few days so i am not sure what is happening.

[Margaret]

Collared doves are really strange birds with no common sense at all.15 years ago we moved into this house and there were none at all.Gradually they started to appear and so their numbers have crept up,and now there are a good 25+ around mine and the neighbours gardens.I find pathetic little bodies underneath the trees where they nest,every January.They breed well yet,as you say,you never see a young one until they are nearly the same size as their parents.2 in particualr have taken a liking to my garden and let me walk straight past them now.About 5 years ago a  young one actually started landing on people's shoulders,yet we all denied hand rearing it!!It only lasted a few months however then it disappeared or became wild again.I do love them though, they have such characters.

[Marianne]

They are indeed lovely little birds and very unlike their cousin pigeons !  I hear a lot of comments from people wondering how and when they breed because young ones are hardly ever seen or heard.  I love them.  :D

[Emm P]

Ours have been mating again  :-[

My next door neighbour, encourages all the birds to his garden - except these.
He just doesn't like them - can't imagine why.

[maz]

We had 3 on our ivy a couple of weeks ago. Two sat together and one about 2' away.
I thought it was odd but now I think maybe one was a baby.

[clairenpaul]

We have lots of collared doves in our area - they are such pretty birds. Someone at work told me that in spring when they breed they become very territorial and that we'd end up with just one pair in the garden - and we have, not seen more than two in the garden for weeks. No sign of babies though  :(. they aren't daft when it comes to food - they sit on top of the birdtable and stare into the kitchen window till we feed them . Unfortunately we have lots of pigeons who are quite aggressive and try to frighten them off but the doves sit on the fence until we go out and scare the pigeons off and then fly down and start eating - they aren't a bit bothered about us or the dogs being there. Will watch for any additions to the family...

[redimp]

Lincolnshire was the first place in the country that Callared Doves were spotted.  It was in the Wolds in about 1952 (some Vicar I think).  Not natives but did come here of their own free will and as said before, by far the best looking of the pigeon/dove species found in this country.   And I've never seen any 'babies' either.  They must hatch middle aged.

[Robert_Brenchley]

They're basically an Asian bird, but something happened, probably a mutation, and they started migrating west instead of south. At one time, strays were turning up in the States, and there was speculation that they'd colonise that side of the Atlantic as well, but as far as I know they never did.

[Carol]

I have had upwards of 25 plus collared doves feeding in my garden and cannot spot easily the young ones.  I believe the young ones collars are not all the way round but other than that almost identical to their parents.  Last week an almost white Collared dove turned up.  The Collared doves are breeding all the year round.  They will likely stop over the coldest months but first to get going early spring right through to late Autumn.

[clairenpaul]

That interesting stuff - still watching for any young ones but no sign, will keep an eye open for any without full collars now.

[Emm P]

Seeing your reply, Robert spured me on to investigate further.

The collared dove arrived in Britain in the 1950's - from India.
By 1964 about 3,000 pairs were breeding here.
By 1972 there were between 30,000 and 40,000 pairs.
The north west spread took the bird to the Faroes and Iceland.

There may be between three and six broods of two young reared by a single pair each year.