Ring Dove - 1894

Columba palumbus

Resident.

To be met with in all the wooded parts of the county, but it cannot be considered abundant anywhere, and we never saw such flocks in the winter time as are commonly observed in England. We had many Ring-doves in our plantations at Stone Hall, where they were constantly harried and devoured by the too numerous Sparrowhawks. Occasionally the birds would do us damage in the kitchen garden, but as we always liked to see them about our trees we never permitted them to be interfered with. In the early months of the year they used to feed greedily in our grounds on the roots of the Pilewort Crowfoot (Ranunculus ficaria), for which they were to be seen searching about in small flocks.

Mr. Dix considered that Ring-doves were more numerous in his north-eastern corner of the county than they were in the south, and remarks that few persons have any idea of the damage they do to turnips and rape during the winter months.

Mathew M.A. 1894, Birds of Pembrokeshire and it's Islands