Mourning Dove

Maybe it is an Eurasian Collared Dove since it doesn't really look quite like a Mourning Dove (no spots on back and collar on neck and lighter color). However, it would be way outside the normal range shown on the Cornell web site for the Eurasian Collared Dove. It does not make the normal Mourning Dove sound when flying. I would greatly appreciate any help with IDing this bird.

Anyway it is sitting on the favorite perch of the Mississippi Kites -- perhaps imagining that he is a bird of prey. The dove even sits there while the kites are circling overhead in the area. I hope he realizes that doves are on everybody's list of favorite meals.

Bill it looks like an Eurasian Collared dove to me.....I have them drop by here every once in a while for a visit. Great shot

Can't help with the id Bill, but a fine shot it is! Hope he smartens up soon.

That's definitely a Collared Dove. Good shot too.

Shar824 wrote in post #10726752
Bill it looks like an Eurasian Collared dove to me.....I have them drop by here every once in a while for a visit. Great shot

Thanks for the compliment and confirmation on the ID, Sharon. I have been seeing them for a while in the area and didn't really pay attention to the markings until I shot this image and noticed that something didn't quite look right for it to be a mourning dove.

BGgraphy wrote in post #10726812
Can't help with the id Bill, but a fine shot it is! Hope he smartens up soon.

Thanks for the comments, Bret. These doves don't seem to be particularly wary of the predators around here. Once, when the kite landed in "their" tree, the dove just flew down to the ground and started drinking at a small puddle. The kites seemed to be getting in position to make a strike when, by pure dumb luck, the dove flew into a nearby dense yaupon bush.

Yeah Bill a Collared Dove. I have a mess of them here, and wish they would go away. If they get on the feeder, it's goodbye seed. They can eat a lot. They make some strange sounds when they fly, reminds me of a sound from a horror movie.

Jack Dawe wrote in post #10726987
That's definitely a Collared Dove. Good shot too.

Thanks for the comments and ID confirmation, Jack.

ajosteve wrote in post #10729242
Yeah Bill a Collared Dove. I have a mess of them here, and wish they would go away. If they get on the feeder, it's goodbye seed. They can eat a lot. They make some strange sounds when they fly, reminds me of a sound from a horror movie.

Thanks for the ID and additional info, Steve. Their eating habits sounds like they are closely related to pigeons. I guess they are still too new here to have been a noticeable nuisance. I'll tell them to move along to Arizona.

Beautiful shot

Thanks for the comment, akhan.