Habitat
Residential areas
Status and Distribution
Accidental; uncommon and highly localized with increasing reports from
New Jersey
Range
Widespread in southeast United States and increasing rapidly
Best locations
In Pennsylvania, there is a small population (though no confirmed breeding)
of around 8 in Coatesville, Chester Co.
In Delaware there is a very small colony of 2-6 birds in Selbyville,
Sussex County – again no confirmed breeding as of 2006
In New Jersey is most often reported from Cape May County
Best time to see them
Other than the 2 small resident populations, the other records are all
accidental between spring and fall.
History / Records
Eurasian Collared Doves were accidentally introduced via the pet trade
to the Bahamas in 1974 (and were nesting in Florida by the early 1980’s).
They spread quickly and were first reported in New Jersey in 1997. In
PA the 1st record was in 1996 and the Selbyville, DE colony arrived
in 1998.
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