Just wondering, how countable are barbary doves? Specifically around Auckland? I understand that they're regularly reported on eBird and all, with there probably? being a breeding pop around Ambury, but I'm still not too sure if I can fully rule out escapees for them for some reason. As just this morning, I randomly came across a flock of around 5 of them, (around North-East Auckland), and for some reason I just can't get over the worries of them being escapees. Although, they didn't seem? to show signs of captivity, (no rings I could notice or particular wear&tear in their feathers, although I didn't have my glasses on), they weren't all too flighty but I feel that's kind of just typical of birds around here. One showed some patchy leucism on it's back but I feel that's pretty normal, especially in feral domestics, so I'm still just conflicted on whether I should post this on eBird and update my year-list, any advice would be nice.
Also has anybody looked into undertail-coverts/webs on the barbary doves around here? I remember seeing this blog-post http://thelittlestint.blogspot.com/2018/03/a-reliable-field-mark-to-distinguish.html on differentiating between barbary and eurasian collared doves in the Canarys and it seemed quite sound, but I feel the doves here are a bit different? Of the one which I actually could have a look for this feature, there didn't seem to be any black visible on the tail, and the presence of at least very thin, hardly visible, 'black' on the outer-web which seems to be an indicator for eurasians?? (Although there's also the possiblity that it was just basically white) quite simillar to this photo on NZBirdsOnline: https://nzbirdsonline.org.nz/sites/all/files/12004633190-2%20Barbary%20Dove%2C%20Te%20Awanga.jpg
Barbary Doves NZ
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