10/01/97

Jerry, Tweeters --
I am generally somewhat behind on my Tweeters reading, however I did get out
the 4 guides which are applicable to Jerry's question, and I looked at them
and the bird (it is still here, as of 5:30 PM, today, 10/1), and concluded
that I still think that we do have a Ringed T-Dove (Streptopelia risoria),
as expected. I also think, however, that it is worth looking at this bird
more closely than I did at first. The European Collared Dove which Jerry
mentions is quite similar.

I based my latest opinion (mostly) on the call notes, rendered as 'a soft
rolling coo-curroo' (p. 226 in NGeo Guide) rather than the Collared Dove's
(S. decaocto) "rapidly repeated deep 'koo-kooo, koo'," in L. Jonsson's Birds
of Europe (p. 304). The primaries on our bird aren't blackish (as shown for
S. decaocto in Jonsson). I think the photo of S. d. in Collins Bird Guide
to Birds of Britain & Europe (photo #386) of a perched bird does not show
white undertail coverts (p. 531, Collins), which S. d. sh/ have, any more
than our S. r. does. There is a white band on the underside of the tail of
our bird and of S. d., however our bird rarely flies, and so if it weren't
so tame, I think that field mark could be hard to see -- I don't understand
how this field mark is supposed to discriminate between the two anyhow.
Peterson's Guide to Britain (1974, p.80) says "S. risoria is very similar,
but is creamy-buff instead of vinous-grey and has pale, not dark, primaries."

So, we can remain on the lookout -- another import is still on its way to WA.

But will it be countable? ;-)

Alan Richards / Naselle WA 98638 / mrm at WILLAPABAY.ORG
==================================================================


On Sept 19th (about 400+ Tweeters msgs ago), Jerry Tangren wrote:

>Not to accuse you of false ID, but are you sure it was a Ringed Turtle-Dove?
>
>European Collared Doves have already reached Montana and possibly
>California (confused with escaped populations) from the original
>populations in the Carribean. The first Washington records should
>be anytime, if not already?
>
>--Jerry <tangren at wsu.edu>
>
>mrm at WILLAPABAY.ORG (Alan Richards & Ann Musche')
>
>said among other things...
>
>
>>=============================================================
>>It was with
>>great interest that Ann & I witnessed the concurrence or near
>>colliding of all of these threads for a few instants in our own
>>Naselle yard, on 7 Sept. We have had a Ringed Turtle-Dove in
>>our yard, off and on, since 23 July this year.
>> ...[snip]....