| During the Angwin Christmas Bird Count on 1 January 2007, Ralph Sherman and
Wayne Tillay reported seeing eight "Eurasian Collared-Doves" in St. Helena, Napa County, California. The following morning I went to see them with Wayne and Myron Widmer, and we found the
situation more complex than anticipated. We saw about
five Eurasian Collared-Doves (photos A-C) plus about five African Collared-Doves (photos D-E). The collared-doves were brownish-gray
with dark gray primaries, grayish undertail coverts
and three-noted calls. The turtle-doves were
whitish-gray with dusky white primaries, white
undertail coverts and two-noted calls. One briefly
observed bird appeared to be intermediate. Local resident Terry
Hansen feeds the birds in his yard and reports that
they first appeared during the summer of 2006 and he once
counted 30 doves. Both species now appear to be established in Napa Valley. Photos � by Floyd Hayes. |
