EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE: INDIANA'S FIRST SIGHTINGS

Note: This article was first published in the Indiana Audubon Quarterly in February 2001. It has been updated on a regular basis by Gorney to describe new sightings (see "Other Sightings below). Also, see the Indiana map for a pictorial representation of sightings by county (Map).

EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE: INDIANA'S FIRST SIGHTINGS

Don Gorney, 6207 Carrington Drive, Indianapolis, Indiana 46236

Roger Hedge, Division of Nature Preserves, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Indianapolis,

Indiana 46204

During the last week of June 1999, Indiana birders were informed of two separate sightings of Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) in the state. Remarkably, the sightings were posted on IN-BIRD, the electronic e-mail listserver, within hours of one another on 30 June 1999. Either sighting would constitute a first state record for this rapidly expanding introduced species. One bird was being seen in Brook in Newton County while the other was being seen in Indianapolis in Marion County. As it turns out, the Brook bird was later accepted by the Indiana Bird Records Committee (IBRC) as the first state record and the Indianapolis sighting was rejected. More recently, in September 2000, birds believed to be Eurasian Collared-Doves were found in Lebanon, Boone County. This latter report was documented and has been submitted to the IBRC for review. This article relates the details surrounding the first few sightings of the species in Indiana. The focus of this article does not include differentiation of Eurasian Collared-Dove from other species, detailed discussion of key field marks, or the spread of this species in the United States. For such information, refer to the Suggested Readings section at the end of this article. Based on the rapid expansion of this exotic species from its Florida toehold in the United States since the 1980's, it is likely only a matter of time before this species becomes as established in Indiana as the House Finch.

BROOK SIGHTING

On 25 June 1999, Scott Jackson checked the messages left on the Indiana Rare Bird Phone Hotline. An unidentified caller from Brook, Newton County reported that either a Eurasian Collared-Dove or a Ringed Turtle-Dove (Streptopelia ‘risoria’) was being seen near the town library. It was later learned that the caller was Doug Gerbracht, a birder who lives in Brook. Jackson reported this sighting to IN-BIRD because of the potential of this being a first state record for Eurasian Collared-Dove. On 30 June 1999, Jim Haw, Ed Powers, Sandy Schacht, and Marisa Windell birded Willow Slough in Newton County and decided to stop by Brook to check for the bird on their way home. Although the group found the bird fairly quickly, they studied it for nearly two hours before concluding that this was indeed a Eurasian Collared-Dove. Haw made a posting on IN-BIRD of the sighting and the group's reasons of why they thought the bird was a Eurasian Collared-Dove and not a Ringed Turtle-Dove. In the weeks that followed, many people were able to view the bird and soon discovered that more than one bird was present. Haw's documentation of the one bird was accepted by the IBRC in 1999.

In July 1999 birders discovered that two birds were present in Brook. The birds frequented the grounds of the library and nearby residences and were fairly easy to find. In late July came word that a Eurasian Collared-Dove was killed when it flew into a library window. Unfortunately, the dead bird was not saved. When Don Gorney traveled to Brook in late August and early September 1999 on business, he was able to speak to the town librarian and Doug Gerbracht, the original observer, about the doves. The librarian indicated that shortly after the one dove became a window casualty, two Eurasian Collared-Doves continued to be seen. Gerbracht reported that there were nesting attempts by the doves during July and August 1999. Gerbracht observed a bird carrying nesting material into the evergreen tree opposite Farmers Supply, approximately a block south of the library. Although no nest could be seen in the tree, Gerbracht believed that a nest located in a tree very near the evergreen was that of a Eurasian Collared-Dove. A dead nestling was found under one of the trees, having fallen from the nest, and Gerbracht believed it to be a Eurasian Collared-Dove. On 30 August and 2 September, Gorney observed two Eurasian Collared-Doves going to the large spruce tree in front of the library quite often. A poorly constructed nest, matching the description given by European references for Eurasian Collared-Dove nests, was visible near the top of the tree. Neither bird was seen on the nest.

On 17 September 1999, Barny Dunning and Chris Anderson visited Brook and were quite surprised to find three Eurasian Collared-Doves. Dunning reported that one bird was an adult and two were immatures. The immature birds had virtually no neck collars as only small smudges of black were present. Dunning’s documentation of the three birds was accepted by the IBRC in 2000.

INDIANAPOLIS SIGHTING

On 22 June 1999, Gorney received a phone call from the naturalist staff at Fort Harrison State Park, Indianapolis, where he volunteers, about a sighting of an unusual dove coming to a residential feeder. The people were curious about the bird because it did not look like any of the birds in their field guide. The dove had been frequenting the Dailey family’s birdfeeding stations since at least early June. Gorney made arrangements to visit the Dailey residence on the east side of Indianapolis and caught a fleeting glimpse of the bird on 24 June. After reading Scott Jackson's post on the Brook sighting, Gorney made a post to IN-BIRD on 26 June about his own brush with a first state record of Eurasian Collared-Dove. On 29 June, Gorney viewed the bird for an extended period and contacted other birders to confirm the sighting. On 30 June, Scott Jackson met Gorney at the Dailey residence, and after viewing the bird, Jackson believed it was a Eurasian Collared-Dove based on the views he obtained. The news was immediately communicated to other birders via IN-BIRD and the phone hotline. Although many birders visited the Dailey home, saw the bird, and made a notch on their state list, Gorney questioned the sighting as early as 1 July in a posting to IN-BIRD. In the posting, Gorney indicated that almost all field marks and even the voice pointed to Eurasian Collared-Dove except that the undertail coverts were white. Documentation was submitted by Gorney to the IBRC, which later rejected the sighting.

Ironically, P.W. "Bill" Smith contacted Gorney in November 1999 about the sighting of the Common Crane in Indiana. Mr. Smith wrote the first, or one of the first, articles on Eurasian Collared-Dove for an American publication. Based on a description provided by Gorney and viewing the photos that were available on the Indiana Audubon Society website thanks to Phil Kelly, Mr. Smith indicated the bird was unlikely to be a Eurasian Collared-Dove. There were several reasons why this bird did not appear to be a Eurasian Collared-Dove, but the most important was the presence of the very white undertail coverts. With all the known facts, Gorney believed that the bird was either an African Collared-Dove (Streptopelia roseogrisea) or a hybrid dove.

LEBANON SIGHTING

On 23 September 2000, Roger Hedge found a collared-dove in a residential neighborhood near downtown Lebanon in Boone County at around 9:30 a.m. More specifically, the location is Elm Street between S. Meridian and East streets. A more thorough search later that morning revealed that two birds were present. Their chunky size as compared to Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura), coloration, dark primaries, white tail corners, squared off tail, black collar bordered by white, and skittish behavior were all characteristics that were noted and were consistent with Eurasian Collared-Dove. Views of key field marks including the undertail pattern and undertail coverts, however, were unsatisfactory.

On 24 September, Hedge returned to the site and found a single bird perched on top of a utility pole. Hedge noted extensive black at the base of the ventral side of the tail that reached the tip of the undertail coverts. The black extended in a thin line down onto the two outermost tail feathers. Particularly noteworthy were the gray undertail coverts that did not contrast with the coloration of the belly. The bird flew behind a building and Hedge soon discovered it had joined five other collared-doves. These birds permitted only brief study before they flew off to the west and out of view; yet they all appeared to have similar features. Hedge first heard the birds on 28 September, noting the trisyllabic call that was consistent with that of Eurasian Collared-Dove. The three-parted call and the harsh squawking call or cry notes have been heard on several subsequent dates up to the time of this writing.

Steve Pancol and Ron Weiss met Hedge at the site on the evening of 1 October. Just prior to Hedge's arrival, Weiss noted two of the doves copulating. During this visit, five birds were observed and Pancol photographed the species, while Weiss obtained video on this date and the following day. All observers heard one of the doves emit its harsh cry note upon landing on a nearby utility pole.

Local residents Phil and Mary Spencer and their adjacent neighbors indicated that the birds have been present in the area for at least three years and have previously nested. The Spencers maintain birdfeeders and permitted Weiss to place live traps in their yard to attempt capturing birds for banding. On 12 October, Weiss caught one of the doves and along with John Schaust videotaped the bird, weighed it, took measurements, and banded it before releasing it (pers. com.). Weiss indicated that the plumage characteristics of the trapped bird matched that of Eurasian Collared-Dove. Several photos of the banded bird have been posted on the Chipper Woods Bird Observatory, Inc. home page (www.wbu.com/chipperwoods) by Weiss. Hedge has submitted documentation to the IBRC for this sighting.

In mid-March 2002, Weiss in his continuing observations of the birds, noticed one bird appearing to be the dominant male among several doves. He also noticed nesting material located in an opening under the eave of a home. Weiss contacted Hedge and both men viewed the nesting material on 22 March 2002. No bird was present at that time. On 11 April 2002, Hedge was able to view a Eurasian-collared Dove on the nest at this location. Due to the height of the nest, it was not immediately known if and how many eggs were present. Hedge later reported that the nest contained a single egg and that it fell victim to predation. Hedge collected the nest and a new nest was constructed at the same site within a few days. On 7 May 2002, Hedge observed two eggs in the nest. This marks the first confirmed nest for this species in Indiana.

OTHER SIGHTINGS

* On September 30, 2002 Kent Hanauer discovered a pair of Eurasian Collared-Doves at a grain elevator in Middlefork, Clinton County. The location of the grain elevator is at the corner of State Roads 26 and 29 (fide John Castrale).

* David Dugas located two bird along 500N in Spencer County on 6 June 2002 and one bird on Orchard Road on 6 July 2002.

* On 20 May 2002, Brad Jackson posted to IN-BIRD that a Eurasian Collared-Dove had been seen at a home in Delaware County for the past few days. The home is located near CR 650E and CR 250N.

* On 17 February 2002 John Castrale located a bird that appeared to be a Eurasian Collared-Dove in Mitchell, Lawrence County. Castrale indicated he saw the bird along with two Mourning Doves on the ground behind St. Mary’s Church. He noted the larger, paler dove had a dark collar. The bird quickly flushed, but Castrale was able to see the long, squared-off tail. The bird perched momentarily on a utility line and the dark outer web of the outermost retrices were visible. This sighting was brief and Castrale did not see all field marks but this appears to represent yet another Eurasian Collared-Dove sighting for Indiana, St. Mary’s Church is located at 777 S. 11^th Street in Mitchell.

* During the Sullivan County Christmas Bird Count on 5 January 2002, Michael Brown located twelve Eurasian Collared-Doves in Sullivan. The sightings were near the intersection of Depot and N. Broad Street. Later in the afternoon other count participants, including Alan Bruner, Eugene Muench, and Peter Scott, confirmed the sighting. Brown and Bruner were able to obtain excellent views of the undertail which indicated the birds were Eurasian Collared-Doves.

* Steve Olson reported to John Castrale the sighting of one Eurasian Collared-Dove in Tell City, Perry County on 23 July 2001. On 26 May 2002, Midge Lechner also located one Eurasian Collared-Dove in Tell City.

* Mike Huss reported to Hedge in early July 2001 that he had seen a Eurasian Collared-Doves at Bellefountaine Cemetery in Mount Vernon, Posey County. Gorney visited the cemetery on 10 July 2001 and confirmed the presence of two Eurasian Collared-Doves at this small rural cemetery. Photographs of limited quality were obtained and the sighting was documented for the Indiana Bird Records Committee.

* Jeff McCoy and Steve Pancol found a Eurasian Collared-Dove in Newton County on 5 May 2001 while scouting for a big day. The bird was along 250N about ¾ of a mile east of Meridian Road. McCoy reports there may have been a second bird present.

* Roger Hedge received a phone call from Richard Melton of Francisco in Gibson County on 17 April 2001 about the presence of as many as four or five pairs of Eurasian Collared-Doves. Mr. Melton indicated that one bird was seen carrying nesting material to a cedar tree. On the morning of 21 April, Gary and Lisa Bowman confirmed the presence of at least three birds near the center of this small town. Dan Leach also confirmed the presence of at least two birds when he visited Francisco late in the afternoon on 21 April. Leach reports observing one bird very well and hearing another calling. Both the Bowmans and Leach reported hearing the three-part song of Eurasian Collared-Dove, commented that the birds were skittish, and expressed confidence that the birds were Eurasian Collared-Doves. Gorney viewed the birds on 9 July and again on 12 July 2001. Although he believed some birds appeared to be Eurasian Collared-Doves, a bird thought to be an immature African Collared Dove was also present. Gorney called into question the origin and validity of this sighting based on the presence of the possible African Collared Dove and also an unknown dove call that was heard. The immature bird was thought to be an African Collared Dove because of its much smaller size in direct comparison to Eurasian Collared-Dove, the lack of a noticeable collar, and, most importantly, its yellow-brown irides. It was later learned that a shop in Francisco kept doves in cages in the business storefront. The business is now closed and the release of these captured doves is a plausible explanation for the presence of the birds at this site.

On 26 March 2002, Richard Melton informed Roger Hedge about a Eurasian Collared-Dove nesting near his house on Division Street. Melton reported the bird is easily visible while sitting on the nest, which is located in a maple tree. Previously, Melton had informed Gorney that he saw a Eurasian Collared-Dove nesting in the same maple tree in 2001. Melton thought the nest was unsuccessful. When Gorney visited in 2001, no evidence remained of a nest. Of particular interest to Hedge during the phone conversation was that Melton reported his belief that the doves were raised locally and that at least three species of doves (Mourning, Eurasian Collared-Dove and a third species – probably the African Collard Dove(s)) were present. He also reported up to 12 pairs of collared-doves in the immediate vicinity. Melton’s comments seem to corroborate Gorney’s questioning of the origin of the birds and the validity of the sighting.

* Alan Bruner stepped out of his home in Marshall, Parke County on 29 March 2001 and heard an unusual dove call. He quickly located the source as he spied a wary Eurasian Collared-Dove. He watched and followed the dove as it flew to a neighbor’s yard. Bruner reports the bird was wary and seemed to spook easily.

* Joan Tweedell of South Bend received a call from a woman on 21 March 2001 reporting the presence of a Eurasian Collared-Dove in Topeka, LaGrange County. The caller reported the single bird spent the winter near the Topeka Elementary School. Jerry Smith confirmed the bird’s presence on 23 March 2001. Jim Haw also confirmed the bird on 25 March. Haw’s initial concern about the amount of black on the proximal portion of the tail appears unwarranted from the lead author’s experience with more than 100 Eurasian Collared-Doves in Florida and was based in part on a misreading of a North American Birds article (Haw, pers. comm..).

* At approximately 9am on 18 December 2000, Dave Lindsey of New Whiteland in Johnson County observed a Eurasian Collared-Dove at his feeder. Lindsey reported seeing the bird again on 25 March 2001 and phoned the Indiana Rare Bird Alert hotline with the information. The bird has visited his yard an additional three times through mid-July 2001 and Lindsey was able to obtain photographs. The photographs do appear to portray a Eurasian Collared-Dove, but Gorney, upon viewing the photographs electronically, thought there were some inconsistencies with that species. Lindsey intended to document this sighting for the records committee. This sighting has not been confirmed.

* On 4 June 2000, Roger and Cloyce Hedge discovered a collared-dove in rural Boone County on 600 W about two miles northeast of Jamestown. The bird was perched on a utility line in the front yard of a residence. It had a black collar and appeared paler and larger than a Mourning Dove. Upon approach the bird flew, but was quickly relocated. Unfortunately, it flew again before additional details could be obtained. During this time the Hedges heard strange calls believed to be exotic fowl emanating from within or near the residence. A phone call to a neighbor afterwards revealed that the landowner kept exotic birds. This sighting was reported on IN-BIRD that same day with some skepticism regarding the bird being wild. The matter was never investigated further and was not documented.

* On 9 September 1999, Don Whitehead reported that a Eurasian Collared-Dove was present in his yard for only 15-20 seconds before it flew off and never returned. Whitehead, who lives in Bloomington, Monroe County, returned home from birding to observe three doves flying in to his front yard feeders. Two of the birds were Mourning Doves while the third was believed to be a Eurasian Collared-Dove. Since no ground seed was available, the doves quickly flew off. This sighting has not been documented.

* A woman in southern Indiana reported to Bud Starling by letter in 1999 that she has had multiple Eurasian Collared-Doves frequenting her yard for the past few years. The letter was prompted after Starling wrote an article about Eurasian Collared-Doves in his weekly birding column for the Indianapolis Star. Unfortunately, the woman desired her privacy so this sighting was never confirmed.

SUMMARY

Eurasian Collared-Doves are rapidly expanding throughout the eastern United States. Many states in the Midwest have records for this species and sightings are increasing. As of the date this article was written, two Eurasian Collared-Dove records have been accepted by the IBRC. Both records concern birds seen in Brook, Indiana. The first accepted state record consisted of a single bird that was observed by Haw, et al. The second accepted record consisted of the three birds seen by Dunning and Anderson. If the Lebanon sighting were accepted, it would constitute the third overall record and the second distinct site record. Although Eurasian Collared-Dove nesting in Indiana is highly likely, based on the sightings of nests, a dead nestling probably of this species, and immature birds, no one has conclusively verified nesting has occurred.