Beautiful dove has collared global expansion

THE nearest village to my house is a small place but it does boast something that is becoming rather scarce in rural Ireland – an old-fashioned working farm with an entrance half way down the street.

And, for as long as I can remember, this farm has had a resident pair of collared doves.

I see them regularly, perched on wires or buildings, and sometimes they settle on the road to pick up grit for their crops or spilt grain. I like these small, slim pigeons (there’s a tendency to use the word ‘dove’ for the smaller members of the family and ‘pigeon’ for the larger ones, but this is not an exact convention). Their plumage is a subtle blend of pale grey and very pale pink with that distinctive black collar at the back of the neck and they make a pleasant, three-syllable cooing sound.