Stock dove

    Columba oenas

Castilian: Paloma zurita

Catalan: Xixella

Gallego: Pombo pequeno

Euskera: Txoloma

CLASIFICACIÓN:

Orden: Columbiformes

Family: Columbidae

Migratory status: Permanent resident

CONSERVATION STATUS:

In the 2004 edition of the Red Book of Spanish Birds (Libro Rojo de las Aves de España) it is listed as “Insufficient Data”.

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THREATS

The primary threats come from hunting, agricultural intensification (the use of pesticides and the loss of fallow land), and the disappearance of old trees.

Length / size: 32-34 cm / 63-69 cm

Identification: Medium-sized bird with entirely grey plumage. Its neck has a pinkish tint, its rump is pale grey, and its wings have lighter stripes. In flight the darker part underneath its wings is visible.

Song: It makes a drowned-out cooing, a "ooo-ooee" that is repetitive and increases in intensity.

Diet: It feeds on plant matter -- seeds, leaves, and flowers -- and occasionally invertebrates.

Reproduction: Pairs are formed between February and April. The nest is located in tree hollows or cliffs, which they fill with twigs. Both adults are responsible for incubating the eggs.

HABITAT

It occupies forest areas and grain-producing plains where there are hollows for nesting, such as in trees, deteriorated buildings, etc.

DISTRIBUTION

In Spain: Unevenly distributed; the most important populations are located in the Ebro Valley, the Northern Plateau, and the northern Mediterranean region.

In Castile and León: It breeds in all the provinces, and the largest populations are in Burgos.

Movements and migrations: The Iberian Peninsula and southwestern France are the primary wintering areas for the migrant populations of central and northern Europe. The autumn passage takes place between September and November, and the spring passage occurs between February and April.

POPULATION

In Spain: There is an estimated population of 25000-50000 breeding pairs.

In Castile and León: There is an estimated population of 4500-7500 breeding pairs.