Date: 7/13/12 5:35 pm
From: George M. Jett <gmjett...>
Subject: [MDBirding] Re: [Birding] African Collared Dove


Phil

Attached is the African Collared Dove (formally Ringed Turtle Dove) hat was singing around my house on Monday and Tuesday. I have not heard it since. This maybe the third record for my Waldorf property. I know I have an image of at least one other, and I think someone in the area has captive birds. Occasionally one must gets out. Since I can mimic the song pretty well I have been able to lure them into camera�s view. When I checked the Zeno Canto the song for African Collared Dove matched the bird singing this week here. I have also seen and photographed this species in Ethiopia, so have some familiarity w/ the species.

If one digs out the old article I wrote for Birding Magazine a few decades ago (do a Google search), the under tail pattern is diagnostic for the doves that likely occur in North America, not the white belly that Kurt points out. Color can be very deceiving depending on the light, but the under tail pattern is always the same. The size of the dove (larger then a Mourning Dove), and shape of the tail are also very useful field identification points. The song was the clue to me that I had an African Collared Dove long before I saw the bird. Birding in the third dimension is more efficient.

On another front, Bob Lukinic, called me today and told me there was an immature White Ibis at the Mattawoman Creek area at the intersection of Rt. 224 and Rt. 225 in Mason Spring, Charles County. I am attaching a copy of one image I collected. I called Jim Stasz so he could add it to his July tick effort. I don�t think Jim has a July White Ibis record. At least he does not have one on Friday the 13th in July.

Enough of this bird stuff. Back to my herps.

George
<gmjett...>
www.georgejett.net

From: Phil Davis
Sent: Friday, July 13, 2012 1:32 PM
To: MDbirding
Subject: Re: [MDBirding] African Collared Dove

Hi George, et al:

I'd like a copy of your photo(s), please.

African Collared-Dove taxonomy/Ringed Turtle-Dove and its status in North America is still a bit fluid and the AOU and ABA don't totally agree. For example, in North American, are they S. roseogrisea or risoria? The AOU cites established populations in the Bahamas and Puerto Rico (but this may be old data?) and the AOU does not recognize apparently established populations in the Tampa area.

The small Maryland population, then called Ringed Turtle-Dove, in the Baltimore/Ft. McHenry area back in the 1970s was only casually documented.

Anyway, even though this is certainly/most likely an escapee, I would like to add it to the database. We never know what may happen in the future, taxonomically.


Note: For other MDBirding readers, here are a few concise descriptions of the differences between the expanding Eurasian Collared-Dove and the African Collared-Dove ...

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/AboutBirdsandFeeding/images/eucdovSchmitt.pdf

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/AboutBirdsandFeeding/EucdovRitdovID.htm

Thanks!

Phil


At 08:07 07/13/2012, George M. Jett wrote:

Folks

On Monday and Tuesday of this week I had an African Collared Dove, Streptopelia roseogrisea, singing and perching in my Waldorf yard. I took photo. Obviously an escaped or released bird since their normal range is Senegal to Eritrea, and SW Arabia.

Check Zeno Canto for recordings.

This is likely a common cage bird, but still neat to hear singing. I should see it in November when I am in Senegal.

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Phil Davis, Secretary
MD/DC Records Committee
2549 Vale Court
Davidsonville, Maryland 21035 USA
301-261-0184
mailto:<PDavis...>

MD/DCRC Web site: http://www.MDBirds.org/mddcrc/rcindex.html
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