Observation: At first glance Grandma Annie (Christensen) described observing a pretty grey bird outside her home the morning before she came into work. Later that evening her family gathered to her house to eat fresh blackberry agutak when she said the bird is back so we all went to look at what Lillionna (Annie's granddaughter; Gerda's daughter) called a pigeon. Gerda, her (Annie's) daughter concluded that the bird is actually a dove and not a pigeon. This area is not native to either species of bird nor does anyone have pet doves or pigeons. Maxine Christensen another granddaughter of Annie's added that she saw the dove at her dad James' house who is out commercial fishing in Pilot Point, AK. The bird is all grey and has a slender neck and a slender beak, we did not hear any other sounds but a "coos" like noise. The bird was simply sitting in the tree and then hopped on the roof of the house when we all gathered outside to observe her.
COASST Consult: Julia K. Parrish, writes, "Totally looks like a Eurasian collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto), just as the Audubon post in the LEO says suggests. Here are some great comparison photos from the Project Feederwatch to look at: White-winged dove, Mourning dove, in case LEO observers are interested, Here’s a cool page about the “invasion” of Eurasian collared doves. There is a striking time-map of the invasion marching north. Not surprising that the doves have reached the Alaska Peninsula." COASST, University of Washington
Parrish continues, "I hear that these doves are good to eat, and as an invasive species there is not a limit. Here is one hunting site that talks about hunting this dove versus other dove invaders, and natives. Notice that Alaska isn’t on the list of states with sightings, but that just proves that LEO is out in front!" University of Washington
Audubon Consult: Beth Peluso, , "I would agree with Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto). I’ve seen one in Anchorage, and there was a report in the Interior of one at Delta Junction I believe, so they’ve been moving further north and west into Alaska over the past several years. I think there may even be records of them nesting in Cordova. Another good field mark is that the Eurasian Collared Dove has a fan-shaped tail in flight, while a mourning dove has a pointed tail." Audubon Alaska
Peluso continues, "I’ve attached a photo of the Eurasian Collared Dove I saw in Anchorage, on the Tony Knowles Coast Trail. I’m going to pass this along to the folks who do the Alaska Bird Checklist, to see if anyone else is interested in a record that far out. Great to have such sharp observers out there!"
LEO says: Audubon, One Invader Colonizes Better Than the Rest - The Eurasian collared-dove may be the most prolific avian invasive. By Jesse Greenspan - The fastest-spreading exotic bird in U.S. history is the Eurasian collared-dove, plumper than the mourning dove and with a black stripe on its neck.
Since the 1990s it has expanded from Florida to Alaska. Native to the Indian subcontinent, a few dozen escaped in the Bahamas after a 1974 pet store robbery. Some of the escapees (or their offspring) presumably flew to Florida, where, in 1982, researchers first recorded them breeding.
The doves, which prefer suburban and agricultural landscapes, now cover most of the Lower 48—except the Northeast— and a swath of western Canada to southern Alaska. (M. Tcheripanoff)
Resource: eBird Range map, Eurasian Collared-Dove
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