Eurasian Collared-Dove in Delaware. First record(?) for Delaware. August 10, 1998, ca 7:30am David Bridge, Peter Bridge and Cynthia Renk. We observed what we believe to be two Eurasian Collared-Doves in Selbyville, Sussex Co., Delaware at 7:30am. The birds were first observed at a bird feeder and later at several locations in the yard. The precise location is about .1 miles east of US Rt. 113 on Delaware Rt. 54. This road is also known as Cemetery Road. The feeders are located in the yard of a house with the number 60 on it. The house has a red roof and a half-story stone front; there is a white fence around the lot, and many bird feeders. This location is also about .9 miles north of the Maryland-Delaware line. The DeLorme location is right on the line between blocks A4 and A5 on page 35. The birds appeared to be slightly larger than Mourning Doves, several of which were near by. The primaries were darker than the rest of the wing and there was a conspicuous white border around the black collar on the neck. My copy of "Birds of Britain and Europe" by B. Bruun, 1978, says: "Black neck-band bordered with white is diagnostic". One reference we have suggests that the undertail coverts are diagnostic, however, we did not observe the color of the undertail coverts. There is a "telephone pole" in the yard with a "street light" type light mounted on it. One dove was on the light, while the other dove was on the top of the pole. The bird (male?) on the pole was performing courtship displays to other bird. Unfortunately, we did not hear the doves call. =============================================== August 11, 1998, ca 10:30-11:30am David Bridge and Cynthia Renk. We returned to try and gather more information and to talk to the resident of the house. We did not see the doves. We did hear a "dove calling" several times, which we were unable to locate. The call was different than the Mourning Doves which were calling for comparison. The call sounded like what is described for the Eurasian Collared-Dove. Three even notes, coo-coo-coo. I spoke with the lady of the house about the doves which we had seen in her yard. She was unaware of the Eurasian Collared-Doves at her feeders. I asked if they raised doves, and she replied no. She said that "all the birds that we feed are wild". This statement does not support the possibility of local escaped doves. =========================================== Peter Bridge and Cynthia Renk saw this species in North Carolina in June 1998, and believe these two birds looked the same as the two Eurasian Collared-Doves that they saw in NC. Yours, David Bridge, David@simsc.si.edu Peter Bridge, josiahbridge@hotmail.com Cynthia Renk, renkc@hotmail.com