Eurasian Collared-Dove

Overall pale sandy-gray to brownish-gray. Primary wing feathers are dark. Adults have a distinctive black narrow half-collar on the back of the neck; juveniles lack this collar or have a very faint one.

Black half-collar on hindneck, square tail with white outer corners, and pale gray body coloration.

Length: 29-33 cm; Wingspan: 47-55 cm; Weight: 125-240 g

A rhythmic three-syllable coo: 'koo-KOO-kook', with the middle syllable emphasized. Also a harsh, nasal 'hwah' given during flight or landing.

Primarily seeds and grains, but also consumes berries and occasional insects; forages mostly on the ground.

Urban, suburban, and agricultural areas. Often avoids deep forests or extremely arid deserts.

Resident or sedentary in most of its range, though birds in the northernmost fringes may move south.

Builds a flimsy platform of twigs in trees, shrubs, or on man-made structures. Lays 2 white eggs; both parents incubate and feed the young 'crop milk'.

Mourning Dove (slimmer, pointed tail, no neck collar) and African Collared-Dove (smaller, paler, different vocalization).

Provides a food source for urban and suburban birds of prey; may compete with native dove species for resources in some areas.

Least Concern (Population increasing)

Look for them on telephone wires, fences, and at bird feeders in suburban or rural agricultural settings.

This species is one of the great colonizers of the avian world, spreading from Asia through Europe and then across the entire North American continent in just a few decades.