Doves and Pigeons
Native vs Introduced Doves and Pigeons
Baby Doves - Mourning Dove (native) vs Eurasian Collared-Dove (introduced)
Mourning Dove Baby (native)
Gray/white/light-cream down
*Small white tips on most of their upperpart feathers
Gray feet
Baby Eurasian Collared-Dove (introduced, non-native)
*Yellow down, more yellow than mourning dove
*Feathers are more sandy tan/beige than mourning dove babies
*Larger than mourning dove at same age
Gray feet
Adult Doves - Mourning Dove (native) vs Eurasian Collared-Dove (introduced)
Mourning Dove (native)
Small, round head with thin, black bill
Shows a black mark on the side of the neck that can be hidden, depending on the angle
Gray above with large black spots on the wing coverts
Pale peach-colored below,
Long, thin tail.
Note pinkish legs
Eurasian Collared-Dove (introduced, non-native)
Fairly large dove with small head and plain, unmarked face
*Black crescent on the back of the neck
Upperparts mostly sandy brown
Dark primaries (wingtips)
Long, square-tipped tail
Can have pinkish legs
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eurasian_Collared-Dove/id
Baby Pigeons - Band-tailed Pigeon (native) vs Rock Pigeon (introduced)
Band-tailed Pigeon Baby (native)
*Yellow or tan beak with dark tip
*Yellow feet with black nails
Yellow down
Rock Pigeon Baby (introduced, non-native)
*Gray/dark feet
Yellow down
Adult Pigeons - Band-tailed Pigeon (native) vs Rock Pigeon (introduced)
Band-tailed Pigeon (native)
Large pigeon with grayish upperparts and purplish gray underparts
*Bill is yellow with dark tip
*Feet are yellow with black nails
White crescent on the back of neck
Irridescent green scaly-looking feathers on the back of the neck
Pale tip to tail, dark band mid-tail
In flight, light band at the end of the tail
Young birds lack the white crescent on the neck and have light scalloping on the back
Rock Pigeon (introduced, non-native)
Plump bird with small head and straight, thin bill
*Pink or dark feet
Plumage is variable
Some are dark gray with green-purple irridescence on the neck
Often with 2 black bars in the wings
Tail usually shows a dark band at the tip
*indicates characteristics that help distinguish native from introduced species
Over the phone, if a caller has it narrowed down to "pigeon", you can ask the caller about the feet and beak color and make an ID, as long as you are relatively sure they know they have a pigeon and not a dove.