Expert: Roger Lederer - 5/7/2005

Question
Hello, Roger.

I live in the western Florida panhandle. In the past 4-5 years, I have had an increasing number of large doves with a black slash on the neck. I think they are Eurasian collared doves. I have many more mourning doves, whose numbers have not diminished since the collared doves showed up, but I seldom hear the mourning doves call any more. Are they intimidated by the larger collared doves?  The larger doves are bullies around my feeders. Are the collared doves edible? They're big enough. (joke)

Answer
I think they are Eurasian collared doves, also. They are spreading northward. There is no information as yet regarding the interaction of the Eurasian dove with the Mourning Dove. Whether they will ultimately have an effect, I don't know. Given the history of introduced species, however, I suspect that Mourning Dove populations will be affected negatively. For more information on wild birds, go to www.ornithology.com. Roger Lederer
P.S. I haven't eaten one, so I don't know how they taste, but I'm sure they are edible.