The Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) is a dove species native to Europe and Asia that has been introduced to many other parts of the world. Determining their exact global population is challenging, but estimates can be made based on their numbers in different regions.
Quick Answers
There are likely between 6 to 10 million Eurasian Collared-Doves worldwide. However, it’s difficult to get an exact count across their extensive range. In Europe, there are estimated to be between 3.8 to 6.4 million breeding pairs. In North America, where they are invasive, there are around 50 million total doves. Overall populations have increased greatly in the past century due to their adaptability to human-altered environments.
Estimates in Europe
The Eurasian Collared-Dove originated in Europe and western Asia. They can now be found across most of Europe, with their range expanding significantly in the past century. According to the European Union’s DAISIE database, there are an estimated 3.8 to 6.4 million breeding pairs across Europe. This means the total number of individual doves is likely double that, in the range of 7.6 to 12.8 million in Europe alone.
Population Trends
Eurasian Collared-Doves have experienced a massive population and range expansion in Europe in recent decades. Their adaptability to human-created environments enabled them to rapidly colonize new areas across Europe since the 1930s. Their European populations are considered stable or increasing in most areas, though local declines have occurred in some parts of their native range.
Notable European Populations
- UK – Breeding population estimated at 140,000-270,000 pairs, potentially up to 540,000 individual doves
- Germany – Up to 1 million breeding pairs, around 2 million individual doves
- Spain – Population unknown but potentially in the hundreds of thousands of pairs
- Turkey – Up to 1 million breeding pairs, around 2 million individual doves
Invasive Populations in North America
Eurasian Collared-Doves are considered an invasive species in North America. A small number of doves were introduced to the Bahamas in the 1970s. From this founding population, they rapidly expanded their range across the United States and Canada.
Population Growth
By 2006, it was estimated that there were around 50 million Eurasian Collared-Doves total in North America. Their populations grew exponentially, with the number of doves increasing by up to 37% per year in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
| Year | Estimated Population |
|---|---|
| 1985 | 25,000 |
| 2000 | 2 million |
| 2006 | 50 million |
This rapid population growth is expected to slow as the species fills its ecological niche across North America. But populations remain high across most of the United States and souther Canada.
Impacts
The introduction of Eurasian Collared-Doves is having significant ecological impacts in North America. Their high populations may be displacing native dove and bird species in some areas. They also damage agricultural crops and spread diseases that can affect native wildlife.
Other Introduced Populations
Beyond Europe and North America, Eurasian Collared-Doves have been widely introduced and become invasive across many Caribbean islands, Hawaii, parts of South America, the Middle East and Australia. It’s difficult to estimate total numbers in these regions, but populations appear to be increasing and expanding in range in many areas.
Caribbean
Eurasian Collared-Doves can now be found across most Caribbean islands, after initially being introduced to the Bahamas. They are especially numerous in Cuba and the Dominican Republic. Quantifying their populations in this region is difficult, but they are considered common to abundant on many islands.
South America
Collared-doves are now found in parts of Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela after being introduced in the late 1970s. Populations appear to be increasing but precise estimates are unavailable.
Middle East
The species has expanded its range across the Middle East beyond its native Turkey. Total numbers are unknown but they are now common and expanding in many areas.
Asia and Australia
Small populations have become established in parts of southern and eastern Asia, including Japan and Indonesia. In Australia, they have colonized the northern coast and populations are rapidly increasing.
Challenges in Estimating Global Populations
Determining total global Eurasian Collared-Dove populations is challenging for several reasons:
- Very limited data from many parts of their introduced and expanding range
- Rapid population growth makes numbers outdated quickly
- Cryptic plumage makes them hard to survey accurately
- Population densities vary greatly across different habitats
Their vast geographic range and inconsistent monitoring across regions means population estimates involve a lot of uncertainty. Better coordinated surveys and standardized monitoring methodology would help refine global population estimates.
Conclusion
While a precise total is difficult to ascertain, most evidence suggests there are likely between 6 to 10 million Eurasian Collared-Doves globally. Europe supports 3.8 to 6.4 million breeding pairs, indicating at least 7.6 to 12.8 million individual doves there. Introduced populations in North America rapidly grew to around 50 million total doves by 2006. And while populations are hard to quantify in other regions, numbers appear to be increasing substantially across many parts of their introduced range. Going forward, more systematic surveys across their vast range will help better track total Eurasian Collared-Dove populations.
