ROCK DOVE 



Coiuuiba livta 



HE Rock Dove breeds in most localities on the coasts of 

 Great Britain and Ireland where the rocks are precipitous 

 enough to afford it protection, either in the caves or crevices 

 which provide suitable breeding-places. It is also found 

 on many of the rocky islands off the coasts, including the 

 Orkneys, Shetlands, and St. Kilda. It is not known that 

 the true Rock Pigeon ever nests inland, as most colonies 

 in such localities contain many birds of undoubtedly domestic origin. 



The haunts of the Rock Dove are among the precipitous rocks and beetling 

 cliffs washed by the roaring waves ; it is most abundant on those cliffs which 

 are full of caves, and is perhaps for this reason commonest on the rugged 

 western coast of Scotland. Sometimes these caves are dry, or at least dry at 

 low water, but in many cases the waves are always rolling into them, booming 

 like distant thunder, and dashing the spray high into the vaulted roofs. Rock 

 Doves are most commonly seen on the fields near the sea, but they will fly 

 enormous distances to their feeding-grounds, returning in the evening to roost 

 in the caves. Their flight is powerful and very rapid, and on the slightest 

 alarm they dash out from the caves in which they breed at a tremendous pace, 

 with loudly clapping wings. They may often be seen sitting on the ledges of 

 the cliffs sunning themselves and uttering their soft full notes, 'coo, coo, cooo, 

 roo-coo,' which are hardly distinguishable from the notes of the Ring Dove. 

 In early spring they are especially noisy, and the cliffs resound with their soft 

 call-notes. The male at this season performs the same antics as the domestic 

 Pigeon : strutting about beside his mate, and spreading his tail out like a fan, 

 he swells out his throat and serenades her with his soft notes, and should 

 she take wing he will follow and repeat his entreaties. Rock Doves are hardly 

 as shy as Wood Pigeons, but nevertheless they are very wary, and will usually 



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