Breeding birds: 260,000 territories
Family: Pigeons And Doves
Stock doves have blue-grey upperparts with a slightly paler rump, and pale grey underparts with a pinkish tinged breast. The wings are darker grey with black edges and two small darker wing bars. The tail has black tips
The head is blue-grey and there is a distinctive iridescent green patch on the back of the neck. They have yellow bills with a small white shield, black or dark brown eyes, and pink legs and feet.
Male and female stock doves are similar. Juveniles are duller than the adults but lack the green patch on the neck and the wing bars are less obvious.
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Stock doves start breeding in February and continue late into the summer. They nest in holes, often in trees but also in stone buildings. They will sometimes nest in rabbit burrows. The nest is built by the female and is a loose platform made from twigs and dead leaves.
Stock doves lay 1 or 2 smooth, glossy white eggs which are incubated by both parents for 16-18 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge at 27-28 days.
Stock doves eat mainly plant matter including seeds, grain, acorns, and berries. They will also take small invertebrates such as insects and snails. They often feed in flocks sometimes joining flocks of wood pigeons.
Stock doves can be seen all year around across the UK except for the north west of Scotland and Ireland. During breeding season look out for them in parkland, woodland, and on the edges of cliffs and quarries. In winter they can be found on farmland.
The word stock comes from the Old English ‘stocc’ meaning a tree stump, trunk, or log.
