The Fantastic Woodie – 10,000 Birds

Some years in the past I used to be birding within the hills outdoors Ranikhet, in Uttarakhand, within the foothills of the Himalayas. We had seen an attention-grabbing number of birds, together with Streaked Laughing Thrushes, Gray-winged Blackbirds, Rufous-cheeked Scimitar Babblers and a Scaly-bellied Woodpecker, however nothing sudden. Then, all of the sudden, our information, Gajendra, received excited. He enthusiastically identified a pair of pigeons perched in direction of the highest of a distant tree. I focussed my binoculars on them, hoping for one of many native specials, a Speckled Wooden Pigeon, or maybe an Ashy Wooden Pigeon, each of that are resident within the north-east Indian hills. 

Nonetheless, it took not more than not more than a look to determine the birds, for they had been a species I used to be already very acquainted with – (Widespread) Wooden Pigeons. It wasn’t a chook I used to be anticipating, as they’re a scarce and localised chook within the Himalayas. Gajendra was clearly delighted to have discovered them for us, and I felt a bit imply once I informed him that the Wooden Pigeon was a quite common chook at residence in England, and one I see day-after-day. It’s uncommon for there to not be a Woodie or two in my backyard, prospecting beneath the chook feeders, or maybe siting on the roof of the home, cooing away. 

This Woodie was photographed in my backyard in March – these birds are resident thought the 12 months

The Wooden Pigeon is so widespread that most individuals take it as a right. It breeds nearly in every single place all through the British Isles, and is just absent from a few of the greater mountains in Scotland, and a few northern and western isles the place there’s little in the way in which of woodland, for as its identify reminds us, this can be a Wooden Pigeon. Nonetheless, Arable Pigeon can be an equally apt identify, for it reaches its biggest abundance within the arable jap lowlands of each Britain and Eire. 

Wooden Pigeons are regarded in Britain as a critical agricultural pest

The British inhabitants is estimated at fairly greater than 5 million pairs: it elevated by 169% between 1967 – 2010, however lately the inhabitants has stabilised, and there was even a slight decline over the past decade, although numbers appear to be rising as soon as once more. It’s presumably this latest slight dip in numbers that brought about the Woodie to turn into Amber Listed on the record of UK Birds of Conservation Concern, however I don’t actually assume that even essentially the most ardent pigeon fanatic is in in the least involved concerning the present standing of Columba palumbus.

Although I feel I’d wrestle to seek out many individuals to agree with me, the Wooden Pigeon is a good-looking chook: full-breasted, small headed and long-tailed, it’s a classically formed pigeon. Its dove-grey plumage blends right into a refined pink breast, whereas there’s a distinguished white collar that provides a sensible completion to the plumage. When it flies, it flashes a broad white wing band. It’s not a troublesome chook to determine. It sings all year long to remind us of its presence, with its soporific cooing one of the vital acquainted sounds of the English countryside.

Winter flocks of Wooden Pigeons can quantity 1000’s of birds

It’s one of many few native birds that may be shot in Britain all year long, for it’s thought to be a significant agricultural pest. There aren’t any bag limits. Devoted pigeon shooters often obtain enormous luggage, normally shot over decoys, with totals of 100 birds in a day commonplace. The file for a single shooter in at some point is over 700. The curious factor is that such monumental luggage appear to have little affect on pigeon numbers. In my youth I spent a variety of time pursuing Wooden Pigeons, and as soon as, taking pictures with a pal, we bagged 96 birds, taking pictures over wheat stubble. Days like this stay lengthy within the reminiscence, however there have been many events once I hardly fired a shot. By the way, it’s value noting that Wooden Pigeons are typically thought to be effective consuming: a basic recipe is pan-fried pigeon breast with crimson wine, spinach and bacon. I can suggest it.

The Wooden Pigeon is a well-liked quarry species in Britain. This chook has been retrieved by a Hungarian wirehaired vizsla

One of many causes for the Woodie’s abundance is its productiveness. Like all of the pigeons, it solely lays two eggs in a clutch, however right here in Britain you will discover eggs in nearly each month of the 12 months, although productiveness peaks in the summertime, with the best variety of chicks fledging in August when meals is at its most plentiful. Figures from the BTO present that these birds first nest when they’re a 12 months previous, whereas ringing has revealed that although the standard lifespan is simply three years, people can reside for much longer, with the present file 17 years 8 months and 19 days. 

In northern Europe Wooden Pigeons are migratory, with nice numbers flying south each autumn. Most are heading for the cork-oak woods of central Spain, the place they feast on the acorns. Ambushing the flocks as they fly by way of the Pyrenean passes has lengthy been a favorite sport of French chasseurs (hunters). Right here in Britain we often see giant flocks in autumn, however most of our birds are sedentary, seldom shifting removed from the place they had been hatched. Recoveries of British ringed birds on the continent are surprisingly few, with most having flown no farther than throughout the English Channel to Northern France. 

The development in direction of milder winters fits the Wooden Pigeon, which suffers badly in chilly winters

It’s not simply Britain the place the Woodie is so ample: it’s equally quite a few all through a lot of northern Europe. Many causes have been prompt for its success, of which essentially the most believable appear to be its adaptability, for it’s equally residence in metropolis centres and concrete parks as it’s within the countryside. It was first recorded shifting into metropolis centres (together with Paris and London) 200 years in the past, however this can be a course of that’s nonetheless persevering with, with birds establishing themselves in Finnish and Swedish cities lately. Hotter climate and milder winters swimsuit it completely, as does the widespread planting of oil-seed rape, an vital winter meals. A big property close to my home stopped rising rape as a result of its crops had been raided so badly by marauding flocks of pigeons. 

By the way, the Wooden Pigeon is predominately a European species, however it does breed in North Africa and the Center East, whereas the birds I noticed in India had been on the intense jap fringe of their vary. The Woodie does have a North American equal, the Band-tailed Pigeon, which has similarities in dimension and proportions.