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New bird species for Kootenay National Park
By Larry Halverson/Friends of Kootenay
The Eurasian Collared-Dove is native to Asia and Europe. It was introduced to the Bahamas in the 1970s. It spread to Florida in 1982 and has been rapidly expanding its range across North America.
There was also a resident population around Keremeos, B.C. (from local escapes) since the late 1970s or early 1980s, although they did not spread far at first, and birders were unaware of them until 2002. However, this species started showing up in many other parts of B.C. in 2005/2006, and the pace has accelerated recently.
The first occurrence of the Eurasian Collared-Dove in the West Kootenay was observed on May 8, 2008 by retired Parks Canada Naturalist, Merv Syroteuk. He wrote a good review of the bird’s history and range expansion which can be read in Wildlife Afield.
The first year that Eurasian Collared-Doves were recorded on the Lake Windermere District Christmas Bird Count was in 2009. And now with Kootenay National Park warden Alan Dibb’s sighting we have a first record of Eurasian Collared-Dove in Kootenay National Park.
Top photo: Eurasian Collared-Dove on the side of Highway near McLeod Meadows Oct 26, 2012 – Photo by Alan Dibb
