Stock Dove

Overview

The stock dove (Columba oenas) is a widely distributed species of bird in the family Columbidae, classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. It is the type species of the genus Columba and is found across the western Palearctic.

Identification

• Plumage: Blue-toned grey body with two short dark wingbars and a broad dark grey tail tip; the breast is suffused with pinkish-purple, and the neck sides feature iridescent green and purple patches.
• Head: Dark eyes and a pink bill with a yellow tip.
• Flight: Quick and regular with occasional sharp wing flicks; grey wings show a dark trailing edge, and the underwing is dark grey rather than white.
• Vocalisation: A short, deep, 'grunting' Ooo-uu-ooh call that is distinct from the modulated cooing of the common wood pigeon.

Habitat

Native to the western Palearctic, ranging from central Scandinavia to north-west Africa, with northern and eastern populations migrating to avoid cold winters. The species prefers open wooded areas and coastal cliffs, often nesting in tree cavities, ruins, or cracks in crags rather than densely forested regions.

Diet

Primarily feeds on plant material, favouring young shoots and seedlings, though it also consumes grain, berries, and small invertebrates foraged on the ground. In certain areas, its diet consists mainly of acorns and pine seeds.

Did you know?

The common name 'stock dove' derives from the Old English word for tree trunk, meaning it is literally a 'dove which lives in hollow trees'. Additionally, nests containing up to six eggs have been found, believed to be the result of dump-nesting by other females.