Collared dove

    Streptopelia decaocto

Castilian: Tórtola turca

Catalan: Tórtora turca

Gallego: Rula turca

Euskera: Usapal turkiarra

CLASIFICACIÓN:

Orden: Columbiformes

Family: Columbidae

Migratory status: Permanent resident

CONSERVATION STATUS:

This species does not belong to any protection category.

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THREATS

The species faces no threats and is expanding.

Length / size: 31 -33 cm / 47-55 cm

Identification: Medium-sized bird whose plumage is a pale cream colour. It has a thin black collar around its neck that is not completely closed and a long tail that is white at the tip and black at the base.

Song: It makes a high, penetrating and repetitive cooing, "coo-cooo-coo".

Diet: It primarily feeds on bits of grain, seeds from herbaceous plants, and occasionally the green parts of plants and some invertebrates.

Reproduction: It begins in February. It builds a rigid platform made of branches and leaves, which is located atop trees or shrubs. Both sexes incubate the eggs.

HABITAT

It occupies urban, suburban and surrounding environments (parks, gardens). Although its original distribution area is in open areas with scattered brush formations.

DISTRIBUTION

In Spain: It is distributed throughout the entire peninsula and the Balearic and Canary Islands, with the most important populations located in the Cantabrian coast, the Ebro Valley, Levante, and both Plateaus.

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

Movements and migrations: It only makes dispersive movements within the peninsula.

POPULATION

In Spain: There is an estimated population of more than 35000 breeing pairs.

In Castile and León: There is an estimated population of 1500-2000 breeding pairs.