As a resident of Northern Zhejiang， I’ve been traveling frequently across several cities in this region over the past two years. Here， the Eurasian collared dove appears to be one of the most common birds in urban environments， making encounters with them very easy， especially around older streets and residential complexes.
△ Eurasian collared dove， image source: Science Popularization China / Photo by Zheng Yunxiang
The call of the Eurasian collared dove is also a frequently heard birdsong. This is particularly noticeable after autumn begins and other bird activities decrease. In the evenings and early mornings， their persistent “coo， coo” sound often becomes the dominant avian vocalization.
These birds are certainly not considered intelligent. They are quite easily caught by cats， which are formidable predators in urban settings， and they exhibit a timid nature， often accepting their fate once captured. Even when incubating their eggs， they tend to flee if faced with threats like peregrine falcons， lacking the robust anti-predator instincts seen in birds like magpies or crows.
Their most significant advantage lies in their strong reproductive capacity and their remarkable ability to adapt to urban life. For animals to thrive in cities， it’s not enough to simply tolerate humans; they must be able to find all their essential life resources within the urban landscape. For birds， nesting sites and materials are crucial.
It’s a common misconception that bird nests are primarily for the birds’ personal living quarters. In reality， the sole purpose of nests for almost all bird species is to incubate their young. Birds find places to rest in any location they perceive as relatively safe – be it tree branches， hollows， or piles of grass. Therefore， birds only build nests when they are ready to lay eggs. To increase the survival rate of their offspring， most birds are highly selective about nesting locations and materials. These species often struggle to adapt to urban environments because they find it difficult to secure sufficient nesting materials and safe sites in cities.
△ This is a Eurasian collared dove’s nest.
△ Remember to retrieve your laundry， as I’ve seen Eurasian collared doves build nests on clotheslines more than once.
Eurasian collared doves， in contrast， are remarkably unpretentious about their nests. They can build them anywhere， and will lay eggs even in the most rudimentary structures， with no particular regard for nesting materials， using whatever they can find. This lack of fussiness naturally makes their nests more conspicuous and prone to disturbance. In times when protein was scarce， such a placid nature would have made these doves easy prey， potentially leading to their swift demise. Historically， Eurasian collared doves were often caught and consumed in many areas， described as docile and easily captured. Consequently， their current population increase is largely attributable to improved living conditions and a stronger societal awareness for animal protection， meaning they are no longer a common food source caught by humans in urban settings.
Why are Eurasian collared doves so laid-back about their nests? One critical factor， I believe， is their exceptional reproductive rate. They are so prolific that they simply don’t have time to construct elaborate nests. Often referred to as “wild pigeons，” Eurasian collared doves bear a resemblance to domestic pigeons in both appearance and call. As members of the Columbidae family， this similarity is unsurprising. Columbidae possess a unique “skill” in raising their young: they have specialized crop glands that secrete a protein-rich substance known as “crop milk.” This substance is analogous to mammalian milk， but it is produced by both male and female birds. For the first few days after hatching， chicks are fed exclusively with crop milk， which is regurgitated into their mouths for them to consume. As the chicks grow， they are fed a semi-digested， regurgitated liquid food.
△ Eurasian collared dove feeding crop milk.
This method of feeding chicks without using raw food is profoundly significant. Many other bird species must select specific foods， often high-protein insect larvae， for their young. Consequently， these birds typically breed only in spring and summer when sufficient insects are available. In contrast， Columbidae， like Eurasian collared doves， are not constrained by seasonal food availability for their young. They can reproduce year-round， as their feeding method is not dependent on the seasonal availability of particular food items. It’s worth noting that Columbidae are generally omnivorous， feeding on both insects and various plant seeds.
Eurasian collared doves not only breed throughout the year but also form monogamous pairs. Both the male and female participate in incubating eggs and caring for the young， with one brood following another in quick succession， resulting in exceptionally high reproductive efficiency. This remarkable reproductive strategy helps explain their unpretentious nesting habits. Building a meticulously crafted nest would be a waste of precious breeding time. While a casually constructed nest might lead to the loss of some offspring， the time saved allows them to produce more broods， potentially resulting in a greater number of surviving young overall. Thus， encountering various peculiar Eurasian collared dove nests should not come as a surprise.
Given this reproductive context， it becomes clear why their nests are so inelegant. Diligently building and arranging a nest would mean wasting valuable breeding time. While a haphazard nest might result in the loss of some offspring， the significant time saved allows them to produce more broods， potentially offsetting the losses and leading to a greater overall number of surviving young. Therefore， encountering various unusual Eurasian collared dove nests should not be deemed surprising.
