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Stock dove
The stock dove (Columba oenas) is a species of bird in the family Columbidae, the doves and pigeons. It is widely distributed in the western Palearctic, north to central Scandinavia and south to northwest Africa. Western and southern populations are resident, while northeastern populations are migratory to avoid the colder winters there. It is the type species of the genus Columba.
The stock dove was first formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae. He placed it with all the other pigeons in the genus Columba and coined the binomial name Columba oenas. The specific name oenas is from the Ancient Greek οἰνάς oinás meaning "pigeon".
Two subspecies are recognised:
The stock dove is 28–34 cm (11–13 in) long, with a wingspan of 60–66 cm (24–26 in) and a weight of 303–365 g in males, 286–290 g in females. The plumage is a blue-toned grey, with two short dark grey to blackish wingbars on the tertials and greater coverts, and a broad dark grey bar at the tip of the tail. The breast is lightly suffused pinkish-purple, and the sides of the neck have an iridescent patch varying between green and purple depending on the angle of incident light. The eyes are dark, and the bill pink with a yellow tip. The male and female are indistinguishable on plumage, though males are slightly larger; juveniles are also similar, but lack the iridescent neck patch. In flight, the grey wings show a dark trailing edge; the underwing is also dark grey, unlike the white underwing of the rock dove. The short, deep, "grunting" Ooo-uu-ooh call is quite distinct from the modulated cooing notes of the common wood pigeon.
The stock dove is in the genus Columba in the pigeon family, the members of which are typically pale grey or brown, sometimes with white head or neck markings and usually with iridescent green or purple patches on the neck and breast. The neck feathers may be stiffened and aligned to form grooves, but these are less obvious in this species. The three western European Columba pigeons have distinctive characteristics. The common wood pigeon may be readily distinguished by its large size, pale yellow eyes, as well as the white on its neck (in adults) and wings. The rock dove and stock dove are more alike in size and plumage, but wild specimens of the former have brighter eyes, a white rump and two well-marked dark bars on the wing, while the rump of the stock dove is grey and its wing bars incomplete.
The stock dove is sociable as well as gregarious, often consorting with wood pigeons and occasionally with rock doves.
The stock dove is common in ideal habitat, but never as abundant as the common wood pigeon, typically forming flocks of a few to a few tens, very rarely hundreds, and not the thousands often found with wood pigeons. In part of its European and western Asiatic range it is a migrant. There has been a sharp decline in France (−57% in 1976). Although the species is not considered threatened in Europe, it is classified in Schedule 2 of the Birds Directive and Annex III the Berne Convention. Around 100,000 to 200,000 individuals winter in France. Over half of the European stock dove population is found in the UK.
The nest is usually in a hole in an old tree. Before deforestation, the stock dove was the most frequent pigeon, nesting mostly in oak or pine wood, but as it usually nests in cavities in trees it was normally only found in old forests. In plantations there are not as many holes to nest in, so it is scarcer. In addition, as the stock dove is double-brooded, requiring two holes for its broods. It has been observed nesting in rabbit burrows, ruins, old poplar hedges, cracks in crags or cliff faces, in ivy, and in the thick growth around the boles of lime trees. It will also use nest boxes. The cavity should be about 75 centimetres deep and the hole should be big enough to admit a fist. Though nesting material is seldom used, the squabs leave the hole very oily. Stock doves prefer to nest close together. Outside of the breeding season, stock doves may also roost in cavities. Like most doves and pigeons, it lays two eggs in a clutch; nests with more eggs (up to six) have been found, but are thought to be the result of dump-nesting by other females.
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Stock dove
The stock dove (Columba oenas) is a species of bird in the family Columbidae, the doves and pigeons. It is widely distributed in the western Palearctic, north to central Scandinavia and south to northwest Africa. Western and southern populations are resident, while northeastern populations are migratory to avoid the colder winters there. It is the type species of the genus Columba.
The stock dove was first formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae. He placed it with all the other pigeons in the genus Columba and coined the binomial name Columba oenas. The specific name oenas is from the Ancient Greek οἰνάς oinás meaning "pigeon".
Two subspecies are recognised:
The stock dove is 28–34 cm (11–13 in) long, with a wingspan of 60–66 cm (24–26 in) and a weight of 303–365 g in males, 286–290 g in females. The plumage is a blue-toned grey, with two short dark grey to blackish wingbars on the tertials and greater coverts, and a broad dark grey bar at the tip of the tail. The breast is lightly suffused pinkish-purple, and the sides of the neck have an iridescent patch varying between green and purple depending on the angle of incident light. The eyes are dark, and the bill pink with a yellow tip. The male and female are indistinguishable on plumage, though males are slightly larger; juveniles are also similar, but lack the iridescent neck patch. In flight, the grey wings show a dark trailing edge; the underwing is also dark grey, unlike the white underwing of the rock dove. The short, deep, "grunting" Ooo-uu-ooh call is quite distinct from the modulated cooing notes of the common wood pigeon.
The stock dove is in the genus Columba in the pigeon family, the members of which are typically pale grey or brown, sometimes with white head or neck markings and usually with iridescent green or purple patches on the neck and breast. The neck feathers may be stiffened and aligned to form grooves, but these are less obvious in this species. The three western European Columba pigeons have distinctive characteristics. The common wood pigeon may be readily distinguished by its large size, pale yellow eyes, as well as the white on its neck (in adults) and wings. The rock dove and stock dove are more alike in size and plumage, but wild specimens of the former have brighter eyes, a white rump and two well-marked dark bars on the wing, while the rump of the stock dove is grey and its wing bars incomplete.
The stock dove is sociable as well as gregarious, often consorting with wood pigeons and occasionally with rock doves.
The stock dove is common in ideal habitat, but never as abundant as the common wood pigeon, typically forming flocks of a few to a few tens, very rarely hundreds, and not the thousands often found with wood pigeons. In part of its European and western Asiatic range it is a migrant. There has been a sharp decline in France (−57% in 1976). Although the species is not considered threatened in Europe, it is classified in Schedule 2 of the Birds Directive and Annex III the Berne Convention. Around 100,000 to 200,000 individuals winter in France. Over half of the European stock dove population is found in the UK.
The nest is usually in a hole in an old tree. Before deforestation, the stock dove was the most frequent pigeon, nesting mostly in oak or pine wood, but as it usually nests in cavities in trees it was normally only found in old forests. In plantations there are not as many holes to nest in, so it is scarcer. In addition, as the stock dove is double-brooded, requiring two holes for its broods. It has been observed nesting in rabbit burrows, ruins, old poplar hedges, cracks in crags or cliff faces, in ivy, and in the thick growth around the boles of lime trees. It will also use nest boxes. The cavity should be about 75 centimetres deep and the hole should be big enough to admit a fist. Though nesting material is seldom used, the squabs leave the hole very oily. Stock doves prefer to nest close together. Outside of the breeding season, stock doves may also roost in cavities. Like most doves and pigeons, it lays two eggs in a clutch; nests with more eggs (up to six) have been found, but are thought to be the result of dump-nesting by other females.