***** WARNING: Four letter banding codes are used in this message ... parental discretion is recommended ***** Mike - Only recently was documentation on the Ft. McHenry, MD "Ringed Turtle-Doves" (RITD) deposited with the MD/DC Records Committee, by Bob Ringler. I think no one has any doubt that these were RITDs. They do differ from Eurasian Collared Doves (EUCD) by overall color, wing pattern and vocalization. The AOU [7th edition checklist] considers the RIDT (C. risoria) as "introduced and established in west-central Florida (Pinellas County), the Bahamas (New Providence), Puerto Rico, and apparently in eastern Texas (Houston Region) and Alabama (Montgomery). Other North American populations (e.g., in Los Angeles) have failed to become established". The EUCD (C. decaoto) is considered by the AOU to be "common and abundant from the Tampa and Palm Beach to southern Florida; also established locally in coastal Georgia, South Carolina, and southeastern Louisiana, occurring casually to North Carolina ... and Pennsylvania ... [with references to a few other states]". I pretty sure the ABA has "delisted" the RITD, in spite of the AOU assertion that they are established. This would indicate that neither Florida, nor any other states, include the RITD on their state list (at least not any more). I will copy this message to Birdchat, since I'm interested to see what Florida birders have to say about this. The MD/DCRC would certainly be interested in any reports of EUCD. Recent sightings of single RITDs have been "presumed" to be escapees ... but ... ??? Thx. Phil At 03:32 AM 05/12/1999 -0400, Mike Milton wrote: > A further historical question -- what about the birds reported in >Maryland Birdlife 37(2): 48, (Winter Season, R. Ringler) as follows: > "At Fort McHenry the Ringed Turtle Doves had a nest >with 2 eggs on Feb. 27 [1980] (Bielenberg)." > There are other reports, e.g. Maryland Birdlife 37(1): 33: "A >Ringed Turtle Dove was reported in Silver Spring on Aug. 5 [1980] (Betty >Collins)." > > As I recall, populations, including those in Florida, which are now >accepted without controversy as Streptopelia decaocto, Eurasian >Collared-Dove, were generally called S. risoria, Ringed Turtle-Dove, >circa 1980. The more current books I have at hand indicate that escaped >or feral "risoria" are occasionally seen, are distinguishable from >decaocto both by voice and plumage, and that the name "risoria" should >be reserved for the domesticated variety of S. risogrisea, African >Collared-Dove. > I assume that there has been no reason for the MD-DC Records >Committee (or the Yellow Book) to be concerned with any Streptopelia, >in view of their origin and absence of a sustaining population here. >But were the Fort McHenry birds decaocto, or "risoria", and should I >finally delete rosogrisea from my Grand Unedited Illegitimate Personal >World List? > ================================================ Phil Davis, Secretary MD/DC Records Committee home: PDavis@ix.netcom.com Davidsonville, Maryland USA work: PDavis@OAO.com Greenbelt, Maryland USA MD/DCRC Web site: http://www.MDBirds.org ================================================