It's Camera Critters time!
Today it's birding in the backyard featuring the Eurasian Collard Dove.
Today it's birding in the backyard featuring the Eurasian Collard Dove.
We have a pair of Eurasian Collard Doves that visit us every morning.
They are beautiful.
One is camera shy.
The other seems to like having his picture taken.
One is camera shy.
The other seems to like having his picture taken.
They were the last of the birds to return after the hurricane.
Eurasian collared doves have been expanding their range for centuries through natural dispersal and human introduction. These natives of India began showing up in Turkey about 400 years ago, then moved into China and Japan. They arrived in Europe in the early 1900’s, in Britain by mid-century.
A caged-bird breeder brought Eurasian collard doves to the Bahamas in the mid-1970s, and those birds were released into the wild during a burglary. They spread to Florida by the late 1980s and to Louisiana by the early 1990s. The Texas Birds Records Committee first documented the birds in 1995, and today they are in every coastal county and throughout the state, though more prevalent in urban than in rural areas.
(Information from an article written by Gary Clark for the Houston Chronicle. Pictures were taken by me and Mr. Dragon on Thursday, January 29, 2009 in our backyard.)
I had heard of them ,but didn't know they looked so much like a mourning dove...
ReplyDeleteBeautiful birds, Snap! I occasionally get doves in my back yard; I'm going to actually look at them next time. Who knows, I might have a collared dove in the bunch.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos. I love having doves in the yard or the trees. The are so sweet.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week
Grammy
Missouri, Usa
So pretty.
ReplyDeleteNot too many doves in our yard, just pigeons.
My CC is up at http://yummydown.com/rattitude/?p=167
Great pictures and interesting history. I've never seen that kind of bird before.
ReplyDeleteMine is up over at Feathers,Fur and Fins
What a beautiful bird! Gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteWe used to have doves like these, the sound they make resembles laughing. Really funny. They lived in our chickencoop, with the chickens, but they could fly out if they wanted to. They had lots of kids and always returned to the chickens for the night. Unfortunately they've disappeared now, we think they were taken by some birds of prey. :-(
ReplyDeleteWe used to have them in Phoenix when I lived there - love to hear them - miss the sound of them!!! These are beautiful pics Snap - I'd love to draw them!!!! Sarah
ReplyDeletewow! what a gorgeous and pretty doves. Check out my camera critters here and thanks for leaving a comment.
ReplyDeleteThey are beauties. Are they noisy? Our "local" doves can drive me bats with their cooing. They sound more like pigeons than pigeons. I filled my bird feeder around Christmas but nobody has found it yet. I can't wait to start seeing birds again. Hopefully no more than a month or so...
ReplyDeleteI don't think I'll be going up in a hot air balloon any time soon, even with an extraordinary pilot. Fear of heights, you see. I get dizzy standing up on the toilet seat to fix the shower curtain.
That was sweet what you said about falling in love with Riley. He is the nicest person I know. He has a really big heart and so unselfish it puts me to shame.
Good pics and information...and here's an additional tidbit that I heard: they mate for life.
ReplyDeletethey have such kind mellow faces
ReplyDeleteI love doves. I absolutely adore the blue eyeliner around their eyes and hearing them coo. Awwww.
ReplyDeleteSnap, I am still bird-less in my yard but I did nominate you for the Marie Antoinette award over at the bodhi chicklet, should you care to accept!
ReplyDeletehi snap~
ReplyDeletethank you for the lovely comments that you leave on my blog. they are truly appreciated. :-)
you have such a peaceful pair of critters in your backyard.
it must bring a sense of calm when you see them. i love their coloring.
Hi Snap - what beautiful birds the Eurasian Doves are & your photo's are fabulous!!!
ReplyDeleteThey are beautiful and great shots too!... Christine
ReplyDelete