Establishment and dispersal of the Eurasian Collared-Dove in Florida

The nonindigenous Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) most likely invaded southeastern Florida from the Bahamas in the early 1980s and had established a breeding population in Dade County by 1982, In the decade after its arrival in Florida, the Eurasian Collared-Dove dispersed northward, initially along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, and established local populations throughout the state. By 1996, the species was recorded at 46 (82%) of 56 localities surveyed on the Christmas Bird Count in Florida. The strong dispersal capability of the Eurasian Collared-Dove, which was documented during its colonization of Europe in the mid-1900s, suggests that rapid colonization of North America by the species is highly probable. Populations established in Texas and North Carolina during the early 1990s may be products of dispersal of doves from Florida. The species presents two potential biological threats to native avifauna: competition for resources and transmission of diseases.