IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE
RARE BIRD REPORT FORM

SPECIES:

Eurasian Collared-Dove

HOW MANY:

5

REPORTER:

Cliff Weisse
4125 Beaver Springs Rd.
Island Park, ID 83429
208-558-7789

REPORTER EMAIL:

cliffandlisa@octobersetters.com

OTHER OBSERVERS:



DATE REPORT PREPARED:

Feb. 24, 2007

DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED:

Feb. 18, 2007

LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION:

Grand View, on Riverside Rd. near the ntersection with ID 51

HABITAT:

Rural town

CONDITIONS:

Approximately 2 minutes total observation time. Distance to birds approximately 15-20 yards. Sun was behind observer at about 4:15 pm. Wind had been blowing hard for several hours but it had become calm. Birds were observed with 10 x 42 binocs.

DID YOU TAKE NOTES?:

No, not at all

DID YOU CONSULT FIELD GUIDE OR OTHER REFERENCES?:

No, not at all

WHAT GUIDE(S) OR REFERENCE(S) DID YOU CONSULT?:



DESCRIPTION:

All five individuals were large, haevy bodied doves, paler in overall coloration than Mourning Dove, appearing creamy tan. All had tails that were shorter than Mourning Dove and square rather than pointed and tapered. On two perched birds tail had broad white terminal band from below contrasting obviously with medium gray undertail coverts. All five had dark gray primaries that contrasted obviously darker than the rest of upperparts. I saw the narrow black bar on the nape of at least two individuals. In flight one bird had obvious large white tail corners from above.

BEHAVIOR:

I first saw a bird flush from the edge of the road while driving past. I backed up and noticed four other birds in addition to the first one I saw. They were perched in a deciduous tree next to the road, from eye level to about 10 feet off the ground, all fairly close to one another. No other behavior was noted during the short observation time.


HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD, AND WHAT CLINCHED THE IDENTIFICATION FOR YOU?

I recognized the bird that flushed from the ground immediately. The others were obviously conspecific with the first. Further observation confirmed the field marks mentioned in the description.

HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES, AND WHAT WERE THEY?

The only similar species are Mourning Dove and White-winged Dove. Both are eliminated by black bar on nape. Mourning is further eliminated by shorter square tail with broad white corners and gray undertail coverts. White-winged is further eliminated by the lack of white in the wings. Another possibility for confusion is escaped Ringed Turtle-Doves. That species can be eliminated by the gray undertail coverts and contrasing dark primaries.

EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES):

I've seen Eurasian Collared-Doves numerous times annually during the past several years, thousands of Mourning Doves and one White-winged Dove.

GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE:

14 years.

WERE PHOTO(S), VIDEO, AND/OR AUDIO OBTAINED BY YOU?:

None