Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur)
Merlin (Falco columbarius)
A small pigeon with barred neck-patch. Coverts and scapulars are dark with orangy-brown edges, giving the back a distinct scaly pattern. Neck and chest pink-grey, and belly white. In flight, the dark tail with contrasting, broad white band, is conspicuous in all plumages. Underside of wings grey, as opposed to Collared Dove. Upperside tri-coloured in black, grey and orangy-brown. Adults differs from Oriental Turtle Dove in having grey hind-neck and broader red-brown edges on coverts. Juveniles are drab, pale buff, and lacks the neck-patch.
Sound:Song: a deep, rolling, and slightly ascending cooing; "trrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr trrr-trrrr" with variations in rhythm. Sometimes birds sticks to a phrase, but phrases varies between individuals.
Song:
Distribution:
Xeno-canto: map
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CCSmallest falcon. Male with slate grey upperparts, and pinkish buff, speckled underparts . Female dark brown above and heavily speckled below. Due to the extensive markings, the underparts give a darker impression than in Kestrel. Tail of female with dark broad bands, tail of male with broad black terminal band. Diffuse facial markings. Short wings. Silhouette similar to Peregrine, but the much faster wing beats are diagnostic. Acrobatic flight with sharp twist and turns when chasing prey. Alternating glides and bursts of wing-beats gives undulating flight.
Sound:Series of harsh "kwik-wik wik". Coarseness similar to Peregrine, but pace much quicker. Female call harsher than male. Lacking the clearer tones and attack of Kestrel.
Alarm call:
Distribution:
Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CC