EUROPEAN TURTLE DOVE (Streptopelia turtur) two juveniles at Ballyieragh South, Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co.Cork, Ireland

 

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE

Click external link here for detailed species information

Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls

 

The European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur) is a migratory member of the family Columbidae, which includes doves as well as pigeons and is in the genus Streptopelia. It is a  summer breeding resident in Europe (including the Canary Islands), parts of the Middle East, as well as western Asia and north Africa. It is absent as a breeding species from Iceland, Ireland (formally bred) and most of Scandinavia but does occur in spring and autumn as an uncommon/rare overshooting migrant. Over much of its northern range, there has been a very sharp decline in its population. In the autumn, it migrates south to spend the winter in southern Africa.

 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

SNOW BUNTING (Plectrophenax nivalis) 1st winter male at Ballyieragh South, Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland

 

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE

Click external link here for detailed species information

 Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls

 

The Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) is of the longspur family Calcariidae which is in the genus Plectrophenax. This circumpolar species breeds mainly in the arctic mountainous regions of North America and Eurasia. Isolated populations also breed south of this range in upland areas.   

Apart from small numbers breeding in the Cairngorm Mountains in Scotland, this is an uncommon and local winter visitor, from October to March, at coastal locations in Britain and Ireland. It occurs singularly or  in small flocks at shingle beeches near the edges of sand dunes, harbour piers and headlands. Feeding close to the ground, it can be easily overlooked and difficult to locate as cryptic colouration helps it blend into the background.

 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds 

EUROPEAN TURTLE DOVE (Streptopelia turtur) juvenile at Glen West, Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE

Click external link here for detailed species information

Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls

 

The European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur) is a migratory member of the family Columbidae, which includes doves as well as pigeons and is in the genus Streptopelia. It is a  summer breeding resident in Europe (including the Canary Islands), parts of the Middle East, as well as western Asia and north Africa. It is absent as a breeding species from Iceland, Ireland (formally bred) and most of Scandinavia but does occur in spring and autumn as an uncommon/rare overshooting migrant. Over much of its northern range, there has been a very sharp decline in its population. In the autumn, it migrates south to spend the winter in southern Africa.

 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

EUROPEAN TURTLE DOVE (Streptopelia turtur) juvenile at Glen West, Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE

Click here for detailed species information

Click here to see distribution map and to hear calls

 

The European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur) is a migratory member of the genus Columbidae, which includes doves and pigeons. It is a  summer breeding resident in Europe (including the Canary Islands), parts of the Middle East, as well as western Asia and north Africa. It is absent as a breeding species from Iceland, Ireland (formally bred) and most of Scandinavia but does occur in spring and autumn as an uncommon/rare overshooting migrant. Over much of its northern range, there has been a very sharp decline in its population. In the autumn, it migrates south to spend the winter in southern Africa.

 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

ROCK DOVE (Columba livia) Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE  

Click external link here for detailed species information

Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls

 The Rock Dove (Columba livia) is of the family Columbidae which is in the genus Columba.

ROCK DOVE (Columba livia) Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co. Cork, Ireland

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE  

Click external link here for detailed species information

Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls

 The Rock Dove (Columba livia) is of the family Columbidae which is in the genus Columba.

SNOW BUNTING (Plectrophenax nivalis) male at Balcarrick, Donabate, Fingal, Co Dublin, Ireland

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE

Click external link here for detailed species information

 Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls

 

The Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) is of the longspur family Calcariidae which is in the genus Plectrophenax. This circumpolar species breeds mainly in the arctic mountainous regions of North America and Eurasia. Isolated populations also breed south of this range in upland areas.   

Apart from small numbers breeding in the Cairngorm Mountains in Scotland, this is an uncommon and local winter visitor, from October to March, at coastal locations in Britain and Ireland. It occurs singularly or  in small flocks at shingle beeches near the edges of sand dunes, harbour piers and headlands. Feeding close to the ground, it can be easily overlooked and difficult to locate as cryptic colouration helps it blend into the background.

 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

 
Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)  distribution map

   Breeding    Migration    Resident    Non breeding-winter

Cephas, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons