Eurasian collared dove

Also known as the Eurasian collared dove, it belongs to the Columbidae family, like the domestic pigeon.

• Length: 29-33 cm.
• Wingspan:48-53 cm.
• Plumage: grey (dove grey!) and darker above; the wings are mocha brown and milk in colour, the shape is slim and elegant. It is easily recognisable due to its characteristic black collar edged with white.
• The males are slightly larger than the females.

It primarily eats seeds, but also fruit, herbs, insects and small invertebrates.

It reproduces both in rural environments and in those that are heavily anthropized. It builds its nest with dry twigs on both trees and on simple structures (pillars, roofing, etc.). It lays 1 to 2 eggs (even several times a year) that it broods for 14-16 days. In the early days of life, the young are fed by both parents with so-called pigeon’s milk, a very nutritious substance similar to milk from mammals, produced by a mucous membrane found in the crop.

Originally from South Asia, today it has become very widespread in Europe and Italy, where it is particularly nest-building and sedentary, to the point of having almost ousted the native European turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur).