Some years in the past I used to be birding within the hills outdoors Ranikhet, in Uttarakhand, within the foothills of the Himalayas. We had seen an attention-grabbing number of birds, together with Streaked Laughing Thrushes, Gray-winged Blackbirds, Rufous-cheeked Scimitar Babblers and a Scaly-bellied Woodpecker, however nothing surprising. Then, abruptly, our information, Gajendra, obtained excited. He enthusiastically identified a pair of pigeons perched in the direction of the highest of a distant tree. I focussed my binoculars on them, hoping for one of many native specials, a Speckled Wooden Pigeon, or maybe an Ashy Wooden Pigeon, each of that are resident within the north-east Indian hills.
Nonetheless, it took not more than not more than a look to establish the birds, for they have been a species I used to be already very conversant in – (Frequent) Wooden Pigeons. It wasn’t a chook I used to be anticipating, as they’re a scarce and localised chook within the Himalayas. Gajendra was clearly delighted to have discovered them for us, and I felt a bit imply once I informed him that the Wooden Pigeon was a quite common chook at dwelling in England, and one I see day-after-day. It’s uncommon for there to not be a Woodie or two in my backyard, prospecting underneath the chook feeders, or maybe siting on the roof of the home, cooing away.
This Woodie was photographed in my backyard in March – these birds are resident thought the 12 months
The Wooden Pigeon is so frequent that most individuals take it as a right. It breeds virtually all over the place all through the British Isles, and is simply absent from among the larger mountains in Scotland, and a few northern and western isles the place there’s little in the way in which of woodland, for as its identify reminds us, it is a Wooden Pigeon. Nonetheless, Arable Pigeon can be an equally apt identify, for it reaches its best abundance within the arable jap lowlands of each Britain and Eire.
Wooden Pigeons are regarded in Britain as a critical agricultural pest
The British inhabitants is estimated at fairly greater than 5 million pairs: it elevated by 169% between 1967 – 2010, however lately the inhabitants has stabilised, and there was even a slight decline over the past decade, although numbers appear to be rising as soon as once more. It’s presumably this current slight dip in numbers that prompted the Woodie to change into Amber Listed on the listing of UK Birds of Conservation Concern, however I don’t actually suppose that even probably the most ardent pigeon fanatic is in in the slightest degree involved in regards to the present standing of Columba palumbus.
Although I believe I’d wrestle to seek out many individuals to agree with me, the Wooden Pigeon is a good-looking chook: full-breasted, small headed and long-tailed, it’s a classically formed pigeon. Its dove-grey plumage blends right into a delicate pink breast, whereas there’s a distinguished white collar that provides a wise completion to the plumage. When it flies, it flashes a broad white wing band. It’s not a tough chook to establish. It sings all year long to remind us of its presence, with its soporific cooing probably the most acquainted sounds of the English countryside.
Winter flocks of Wooden Pigeons can quantity hundreds of birds
It’s one of many few native birds that may be shot in Britain all year long, for it’s thought to be a serious agricultural pest. There aren’t any bag limits. Devoted pigeon shooters usually obtain enormous baggage, often shot over decoys, with totals of 100 birds in a day common. The document for a single shooter in sooner or later is over 700. The curious factor is that such huge baggage appear to have little impression on pigeon numbers. In my youth I spent a number of time pursuing Wooden Pigeons, and as soon as, capturing with a pal, we bagged 96 birds, capturing over wheat stubble. Days like this stay lengthy within the reminiscence, however there have been many events once I hardly fired a shot. By the way, it’s value noting that Wooden Pigeons are usually thought to be advantageous consuming: a traditional recipe is pan-fried pigeon breast with pink wine, spinach and bacon. I can advocate it.
The Wooden Pigeon is a well-liked quarry species in Britain. This chook has been retrieved by a Hungarian wirehaired vizsla
One of many causes for the Woodie’s abundance is its productiveness. Like all of the pigeons, it solely lays two eggs in a clutch, however right here in Britain you could find eggs in virtually each month of the 12 months, although productiveness peaks in the summertime, with the best variety of chicks fledging in August when meals is at its most plentiful. Figures from the BTO present that these birds first nest when they’re a 12 months previous, whereas ringing has revealed that although the everyday lifespan is simply three years, people can dwell for much longer, with the present document 17 years 8 months and 19 days.
In northern Europe Wooden Pigeons are migratory, with nice numbers flying south each autumn. Most are heading for the cork-oak woods of central Spain, the place they feast on the acorns. Ambushing the flocks as they fly by way of the Pyrenean passes has lengthy been a favorite sport of French chasseurs (hunters). Right here in Britain we usually see giant flocks in autumn, however most of our birds are sedentary, seldom shifting removed from the place they have been hatched. Recoveries of British ringed birds on the continent are surprisingly few, with most having flown no farther than throughout the English Channel to Northern France.
The pattern in the direction of milder winters fits the Wooden Pigeon, which suffers badly in chilly winters
It’s not simply Britain the place the Woodie is so plentiful: it’s equally quite a few all through a lot of northern Europe. Many causes have been instructed for its success, of which probably the most believable appear to be its adaptability, for it’s equally dwelling in metropolis centres and concrete parks as it’s within the countryside. It was first recorded shifting into metropolis centres (together with Paris and London) 200 years in the past, however it is a course of that’s nonetheless persevering with, with birds establishing themselves in Finnish and Swedish cities lately. Hotter climate and milder winters swimsuit it completely, as does the widespread planting of oil-seed rape, an necessary winter meals. A big property close to my home stopped rising rape as a result of its crops have been raided so badly by marauding flocks of pigeons.
By the way, the Wooden Pigeon is predominately a European species, however it does breed in North Africa and the Center East, whereas the birds I noticed in India have been on the intense jap fringe of their vary. The Woodie does have a North American equal, the Band-tailed Pigeon, which has similarities in measurement and proportions.