Re: [SBB] A question about the Eurasian Collared-Doves in San Martin

[Mike Rogers <[[email protected]]>]

David,

Small populations of Eurasian Collared-Doves have been established in 
California for some time. These have resulted from accidental or 
intentional releases and some have been quite successful. There is now a 
pretty large population near King City, Monterey County, for example. I 
found 2 Eurasian Collared-Doves together with one hybrid-type dove near 
the corner of Maple and Murphy in San Martin (not far north of the 
Morabito residence) on 12 Feb 2000. These birds pretty clearly had 
escaped/been released from the aviary there and were not part of the 
expanding wave of collared-doves that crossed the U.S. Their numbers in 
that area have been steadily growing (whether from additional 
escapes/releases or successful breeding is unknown) and recently counts 
of 20 or so Eurasian Collared-Doves in that vicinity have been pretty 
normal.

In 2002, large numbers of Eurasian Collared-Doves reached southern 
California (see for example http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/ecdo.htm) 
and soon after this the species was added to the state list as a "wild" 
bird, the thinking being that this big influx indicated that the 
westward push of this species had reached California (there are many 
maps documenting this westward expansion on the web that you can 
probably locate with a search engine). The Eurasian Collared-Dove 
continues to expand throughout California and increase in numbers near 
the Salton Sea.

In Santa Clara County, we have had occasional records of Ringed 
Turtle-Doves and intermediate hybrid type doves for some time, but have 
lacked solid records of carefully identified pure Eurasian 
Collared-Doves until recently. Now that the "wave" of collared-doves has 
passed north of us, sightings of pure-looking birds away from the known 
released population in San Martin/Morgan Hill need to be considered as 
possibly "wild" birds. Indeed, sightings of apparently pure Eurasian 
Collared-Doves near the CCFS waterbird pond on 16 May and in San Jose on 
16 June were far enough from San Martin to be considered as "countable" 
birds. We have had earlier reports of probable Eurasian Collared-Doves 
since 2002, but none documented well enough to eliminate Ringed 
Turtle-Doves or hybrids.

Steve Rottenborn reported 42 Eurasian Collared-Doves from the Morabito 
residence on 19 Sep. This is almost double the high counts from recent 
months in the same area by the same observer and suggests that either 
another big release occurred (from a larger source than the aviary at 
Maple and Murphy) or that wild birds have augmented the San Martin feral 
population, which is certainly possible. Even if wild birds are part of 
the San Martin population now though, it would be impossible to know 
which birds were which and it is probably best to consider these birds 
as not "countable" until the species is better established throughout 
the county, at which point the whole issue becomes moot.

In an effort to further track the changing status of collared-doves in 
the county it would be helpful if people report all Streptopelia doves 
they encounter. Several have showed up at backyard feeders, so this 
could happen to anybody.

The White-winged Dove is almost certainly a wild bird. Although I doubt 
anyone has asked the dove fancier at Maple and Murphy whether he keeps 
this species, none have been seen in his cages. It is unlikely that a 
hatching-year bird has already escaped, become a powerful flyer, become 
wary of Cooper's Hawks, and started ranging widely instead of remaining 
near the aviary. There have been many reports of White-winged Doves this 
season from northern California and this occurrence seems to fit that 
pattern, happening at an expected time of year for dispersing birds of 
that species. If the bird is not refound, the case for it being a "wild" 
bird passing through becomes even stronger.

So at this point, I think the most justifiable answers to the 
countability questions you pose are:
White-winged Dove - countable wild dispersing juvenile at an expected 
time of year
Eurasian Collared-Dove - not countable in the vicinity of San 
Martin/Morgan Hill, but probably countable away from that area

Mike Rogers
Sunnyvale


David Kutilek wrote:
>
> With all the recent birding activity at the Morabito pond and dead 
> willow trees… and the additional sighting of the White-winged Dove… I 
> would like to ask the experts on SBB their opinion... Is a sighting of 
> the Eurasian Collared-Doves in San Martin a legal accepted ABA-rules 
> sighting for my California LIST? I read Steve's post that these are 
> local birds, yet there are certainly are feral. Same Q for the 
> White-winged Dove.
>
> I am curious, and I suppose many whom read these listings might ask 
> this same Q as well.
>
> Thanks,
> Dave Kutilek
> Morgan Hill
>
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