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Birding CLUB The Doves of Four Seasons This month we will deviate from our usual format and instead review a group of easily seen and well-liked birds — doves (including pigeons). We have three species of doves at Four Seasons: Mourning Dove, Rock Pigeon, and Eurasian Collared-Dove. The Mourning Dove is the only one of these that is native to the Americas and is by far the most common dove across North America and throughout Four Seasons. To give an idea of the abundance of Mourning Doves compared to the other doves, Mourning Dove has been seen on 50 Four Seasons bird walks compared to 11 for Rock Pigeon and 6 for Eurasian Collared-Dove. The Mourning Dove's overall gray-tan color, black spots on the wings, and long pointed tail distinguish it from other doves. Mourning Dove was our October 2019 Bird of the Month. Wild Rock Pigeons live in Europe, North Africa, and western Asia, where they were domesticated 5,000 years ago. Feral (escaped domestic) pigeons produced offspring that adapted well to human settlements throughout the Old World and were carried to the New World aboard European ships in the early 1600s. Rock Pigeons are common in cities and agricultural areas worldwide, including Beaumont, but they are uncommon at Four Seasons. Its gray body, two black wing bars, and iridescent neck feathers distinguish it from other doves. Rock Pigeon was last month's Bird of the Month. Eurasian Collared-Dove is our official December 2022 Bird of the Month. The Eurasian Collared-Dove's pale gray color, lack of spots or bars on the wings, and black-and-white collar distinguish it from other doves. Since their introduction into Florida in the early 1980s, Eurasian Collared-Doves have spread rapidly and their population has grown over 13 percent per year. These birds have spread so quickly that in 2001, when my family moved from Arizona to the Beaumont area, I had never seen a Eurasian Collared- Dove in Arizona or California. But by 2004, they were easy to find in both states! Today, Eurasian Collared-Doves range across every U.S. state (except Hawaii), the southwestern half of Canada, and the northern half of Mexico. At Four Seasons, they are most often seen in backyards, especially at seed feeders. I have been seeing a pair daily in my yard for about the last six months, but before that I hadn't seen any for a year or two, so they seem to move around. ~ Steve Edelman, steve.h.edelman@gmail.com FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | DECEMBER 2022 35 We are looking forward to 2023 when we will offer free speaker events by master gardeners in order to support you in a successful home garden. Mark your calendars for Jan. 21 and March 18 at 10 am in the RCN and check the Activities Blast for the topics as we get closer. On May 20, we will host a home garden tour so that you can visit and experience all sizes and types of successful gardens by your neighbors. We are establishing a sub-committee for anyone interested in establishing a Community Garden here in Four Seasons. Stay tuned for an announcement of an orientation meeting in the new year. For info or suggestions for future topics, please contact pwayne1@ outlook.com. ~ Pat Wayne Community Garden Club Eurasian Collared-Dove Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove

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