Eurasian Collared-dove behavior

[scra...@q.com]

For 5 years, Eurasian Collared-doves have frequented my yard in Colorado Springs. They are somewhat aggressive toward Mourning Doves, but have not driven them from the yard.

This year I observed some VERY aggressive behavior by doves toward American Crows, a pair of which nests in a neighbor's tree. One or 2 of the doves have begun chasing crows at high speed through the yard and adjoining property. The doves fly right on the tails of the crows, outmaneuvering the crows in the air. The harassment is not limited to aerial pursuit, but now includes attacks on crows on the ground. The crows are bigger and present more of a physical threat to the doves, but for some reason, the doves have intimidated the local crows.

Has anyone else observed similar behavior?

Susan Craig
scra...@q.com
Colorado Springs, CO

[Dave Cameron]

The EC Doves and Mourning Doves in my yard this year (a pair of each) settled on an uneasy truce, under the feeders.  The occasional aggressive rush from one species toward the other to drive it from prime seed pickings, but nothing like you're describing with the crows.

 

- Dave Cameron

[Tom P]

I happened upon some House Finches aggressively chasing a Crow once--- the Crow clearly had a nestling in its mouth.

Your ECD's may  have witnessed this Crow behavior before.  In fact, Crows aren't the only corvid who enjoy eating nestlings.

Tom Pollock
Aurora, CO