Stock Dove

Columba oenas

Common & widespread residents with 300,000 breeding pairs in Britain in wooded areas, plus 37,000 birds in Ireland.

Adults are blue-toned grey, with two short dark grey to blackish wingbars on the tertials and greater coverts, and a broad dark grey bar at the tip of the tail.

The breast is lightly suffused pinkish-purple, and the sides of the neck have an iridescent patch varying between green and purple depending on the angle of incident light.

The eyes are dark, and the bill pink with a yellow tip. 

Juveniles are similar, but lack the iridescent neck patch.

In flight, the grey wings show a dark trailing edge; the underwing is also dark grey, unlike the white underwing of the Rock Dove. 

The call is a deep Ooo-uu-ooh.