Eurasian Collared Dove

About the Eurasian Collared Dove
Also known as: Collared Dove
Eurasian Collared Dove

The Eurasian Collared Dove is one of the great colonisers of the avian world. Its original range was warmer temperate regions from southeastern Europe to Japan. However, in the twentieth century it expanded across the rest of Europe, reaching as far west as Great Britain by 1953, and Ireland soon after. It also now breeds north of the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia. It was introduced into the Bahamas in the 1970s and spread to Florida by 1982. Its stronghold in North America is still the Gulf Coast, but it is now found as far south as Veracruz, as far west as California, and as far north as British Columbia and the Great Lakes.

This small dove is grey with a darker back. It has a black half-collar on its nape from which it gets its name. It forms sizeable winter flocks where there are food supplies such as grain.

Doves have been domesticated for thousands of years. The domestic Ringneck Dove is probably a descendant of the Eurasian or African Collared Dove. A mutation causes some doves to be completely white, and these are often used as release doves for formal occasions.

Find cute products & gifts with our Birdorable Eurasian Collared Dove

Details & Statistics

International Names

Related Articles

Exploring the Meaning of "Cosmopolitan" in the Avian World

Imagine a bird, not confined by national boundaries or familiar landscapes, but a feathered citizen of the world. This is the essence of a cosmopolitan bird species – one that transcends geographic limitations and thrives in a vast tapestry of habitats across...  Read more »

Oregon 2020 Bird Population Survey

Researchers in Oregon are working on a huge survey of birds in the state: Oregon 2020. Data from field observations is being compiled to determine the abundance and distribution of Oregon's bird species. The study in part uses data collected by citizen scientists who bird the state and...  Read more »

The Remarkable Range of the Eurasian Collared Dove: A Global Traveller

The Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) exemplifies adaptability and expansion. Originally native to parts of Asia, this species has undergone a remarkable range expansion over the last century, making it a familiar sight across much of Europe, the Middle East, and North America. This dove’s ability...  Read more »

Cute gifts with this bird

Designs with this bird