[Birdtalk] Washington City, Utah Doves (African Collared Dove?)

[joshkreitzer at byu.teancum.net]

Utah Birders,

While visiting my family in southern Utah this weekend, I birded near my
parents' home in northern Washington City. As usual I was impressed by the
number and species diversity of doves. My wife, brother, and I found 5
White-winged Doves, 1+Eurasian Collared Dove, a likely African Collared Dove
(acting as if it was a Eurasian Collared Dove's mate-they stayed together), a
Mourning Dove, and 7 Inca Doves. 

So, if you still need to add White-winged or Eurasian Collared Dove to your Utah
list, please visit the partly vacant block between Main Street and 100 East; 300
and 400 North in Washington City.

The African Collared Dove is a recent addition to the AOU checklist. It was
formerly known as Ringed Turtle-Dove or Barbary Dove. It is obviously paler and
whiter than the Eurasian collared dove especially when seen in close proximity
(see National Geographic or other guide). I don't recall a noticeable size
difference-which is another way to separate the species, so there may be a
chance the bird itself was a hybrid or very pale E. Coll. Dove. 

I previously found a representative of this form in my backyard in Washington
City years ago, which I photographed at close range. I assumed then as I do now
that the individual was an escapee, and not a countable bird. According to the
AOU checklist,

 "Distribution.—Resident in northeastern Africa and southwestern Arabia.
Introduced and established as feral populations of domesticated stock in
west-central Florida (Pinellas County), the Bahamas (New Providence), and Puerto
Rico. Other introduced populations in North America have failed to
become established."

Perhaps the bird is a countable vagrant from Florida, having followed its
relative west. It's probably impossible to tell for sure.

The following weblink provides some useful information on the two species.

http://www.birdsource.org/features/eucdov/


Good birding!

Joshua D. Kreitzer
Sandston, VA

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