The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) — one of the largest citizen science initiatives in the world – annually documents a wide variety of bird population trends.
To my mind, one of the most interesting has been the dramatic spread of the non-native Eurasian collared dove across North America.
The GBBC asks citizen birders to watch an area for at least twenty minutes sometime during a four-day period in mid-February (this year’s count concluded yesterday), and record the birds they see.
Just ten years ago, seeing a Eurasian collared dove would have been a novelty. No more: the doves are now commonly reported by birders in most of the United States.
GBBC data tell the story of this rapid spread.
In the 1970s, the Eurasian collared dove was introduced to the Bahamas. By the early 1980s, the non-native birds made their way to South Florida, where they established populations. Then they began spreading north and west.
Their range appears to have expanded slowly at first. A look at GBBC reports from 1998 show a lot of sightings in Florida, with some birds reported in Texas, Alabama and Arkansas.
By 2001, the doves reached California.
Last year’s bird count results showed the Eurasian collared dove had colonized much of the country. It has not (yet) been reported in New England, but it has reached as far north as Alaska.
The GBBC’s video map dramatically illustrates this expansion.
In my state of Idaho, the doves were first recorded in 2005 by two backyard birders. In subsequent years, the bird was commonly reported in Idaho’s eastern corners. Last year, 132 GBBC participants reported 719 doves throughout the state.
I saw my first Eurasian collared dove in our backyard in 2008 – a banded bird that may have been an escaped pet. Last year, I began seeing the doves hanging around our neighborhood. This year was the first that I noted the species during my own participation in the Great Backyard Bird Count.
What’s going on here? Should conservationists be concerned about this spread?
Unlike some dove species, Eurasian collared doves aren’t migratory. However, they do readily expand into new suitable habitat. In fact, in their native Asia, Eurasian collared doves have been rapidly expanding their range as well – colonizing new countries every year.
The dove is one of those species that adapts well to humanity. The trees, power lines and bird feeders of suburbia provide perfect habitat. The Eurasian collared dove is almost always seen near homes and farms, not unbroken forest or prairie.
Research indicates it is not adversely affecting native mourning doves or other birds. It may simply be filling a new habitat niche created by suburban habitat. But it is still early in the spread.
Could Eurasian collared doves become an invasive threat? That remains to be seen.
Citizen science projects like the GBBC and another citizen initiative, Project FeederWatch, will help scientists continue to track the spread and impacts of the species. It will be interesting to learn what this year’s count found about Eurasian collared doves. If past years are any indication, their populations will likely have grown and spread into new areas of the country.
Have you seen Eurasian collared doves in your area? Have you noted other trends during your backyard bird counts? Let us know what you’re seeing!
I have seen hundreds in Phoenix last year and this. They co-exist peacefully with the mourning and Inca doves and I believe they may be inter-breeding with the white wing doves in the area. I keep seeing silvery colored individuals with ambiguous neck markings and no or only small white edges on their wings. They flock with the mourning, collared, and white wing doves. I once saw one that had no markings at all on his neck and only a white tail band. He was with mourning doves. (No spots either.)
I seen my first eurasion collared dove 0n 3 13 2014 near Medford MN
I live in Crookston, Minnesota which is about an hour and a half from Canada, and twenty minutes to North Dakota. We have had a pair that nest here in the winter months, but leave for the summer. I am curious where they go in the summer months.
The ECDs are pretty common now in this area (far north coastal CA. ). I think there may be fewer mourning doves and band-tailed pigeons, which I used to see in our small town. Curious to know their affect on both these species here.
Been wondering what has changed in the look of the mourning doves. After reseach found them to be eurasian collared doves
just today. Have had many of them in our yard this summer and now.
First spotted them today in our yard in South Eugene, Oregon. I knew they weren’t mourning doves, but couldn’t find them in my bird ID books…now I understand why; they are (relatively) new to the area! They seemed to be getting along with the Oregon Juncos, who also were feeding, so I’m not as inclined to be unhappy that they’re here…..
Oregon Coast N Cleawox Lake adjoining Honeyman State Park just south of Florence. There are a dozen or so that visit our bird feeder every day in addition to the stellar Blue Jays that frequent our yard.
I have 30 or so at the feeder every day. I live in St Helens Or. In one month the back yard went from finch’s,chickadee’s, grosbeak, thrush, bluejay, stellers jay ect to 30 doves 16-20 R W blackbirds and 24 or so srarlings and the little birds have to fight for food. I need to separate feeders.
They’re taking over here in Cannon Beach, too. I compare them to vacuums in their ability to suck all the seeds from my feeders in record time. I’ve always enjoyed feeding the chickadees and other small birds, but I don’t appreciate feeding the Hoovers. I have no use for them, whatsoever.
I had a pair in my yard this a.m., feeding along with a flicker (which eats my ants, thank goodness) and they are about the same size…But I only have sunflower seeds in my feeder, do they eat those ? Because I’m going to be really upset if all my other birds disappear.
Nehalem on the north Oregon coast – they’re EVERYWHERE. Sounds like they’ve comfortably invaded the entire continent just like the European starling. I knew they looked funny… just couldn’t be mourning doves. Sad to discover I was right.
In The foothills of Colorado, there are an invasion of these doves. I too enjoyed their cooing, until i noted other birds were no longer present. Neither did the butterflies stay this year? Is there a connection or are all of us who seem to observe the same, mistaken on our connection that the doves chased the other birds away?
We saw one today in our yard. She sat on the fence a long time, then flew to the edge of our goldfish pond and drank water and then fles away. I have never seen this bird here before. Oakland, CA
This invasive dove showed up in my southern Vancouver Island neighbourhood earlier this year (2014). Its call is unmistakable. Now a pair have moved into our back garden and appear to have a nest, as they are actively chasing away other birds, including a Pileated Woodpecker this morning!
I had two at my home in Gustavus last week .i am excited to see them and love their cooing…
Seen one on power lines in Bawlf, AB Canada July 2014.
There is a pair (or more) in Drumheller, Alberta. I first saw them here last summer (2013).
I saw one 2 days ago in my backyard here on BC’s Sunshine Coast. First one I’ve ever seen. I mistook it for a mourning dove until I took a couple of fuzzy pictures and was able to make a closer inspection.