UKH

Think it’s a young collard dove? If not, it’s some rare migrant. It’s tail seems very long? Thoughts anyone ??  It was a on a path, looking totally battered, soon to be predated. 

Could it be some type of grey parrot thats escaped?

Possibly, but edging more towards dove. It’s in a box, warming up and drying out. Probs won’t survive the night. I’ve got some oatmeal and soya milk simmering into a porridge (that’s the advice). I’ll do my best, but not hopeful. 

Very hard to tell given the state it's in - did you consider birdflu when picking it up? 

Only dove I can think of with such a long tail is Namaqua, though I'm not an expert, and maybe it's a little on the large size for one of those? Maybe worth posting on birdforum? 

I didn’t think about avian flu at the time, but have since checked - exceptionally low probability. 

That's even harder than your usual ID photos - hope it recovers.

I know it's early to be thinking about Christmas, but I do feel you've left it a bit late to start fattening. Unless this one's slated for December 2024?

It looks perkier now than when it arrived. Ground up some oatmeal and sunflower hearts, cooked to a porridge with water and soya milk. Tastes really nice!  Hoping it is warm enough in its box with a towel over it - don’t want to risk overheating it. 

Was hoping it was some rare North American cuckoo or similar. 

It’s defo looking more like a Norwegian Blue this morning. 
 

That’s sad news. But you did your best. On the bright side, that porridge needs eating.

Dog can eat. As well as eating the porridge.

The eyes definitely fit collared dove (1st pic); red irises, big pupils, and a ring of pale bare skin around the eye

beautiful plumage.

Sorry to harp on, but giving it to the dog is probably not the best idea. Current government advice is not to handle dead birds - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/removing-and-disposing-of-dead-wild-birds

Very sad, but we do have to consider avian flu - https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/how-you-can-help-birds/di...

I was joking

Totally agree. I’ve been monitoring avian flu for the last few years, cases amongst collard doves are exceptionally rare. I’ve chatted with staff and volunteers at a number of reserves. Leighton Moss in particular was very badly hit (black headed gull colony was hammered). 

Did it survive the night?

Is it eating etc?

Have you release it yet?

It looks like it could be a baby kookaburra, assume they are quite uncommon round your way, may have been carried away by a bird of pray, trapped in its beak, and the bird of prey then blown off course, when it tired it dropped the young kookaburra on the path near you? 

It’s dead, defo collard dove. 

Is this just a repeated typo?

[edit: three times now. Or is a collard dove different from a collared dove?]

Neither, just bad spelling. 

Okay; just wondering if it was some exotic you'd found...

Ah, sorry! Not always straightforward telling when someone's joking online. 

Aww, shame - still, I suppose there is a crumb of comfort in that it was a dead collard dove as opposed to a dead kookaburra.

Still, not good for the ex collard dove.

Are you having a laugh?

C'mon, you had to ask?

What gave it away, perhaps this bit:

It looks like it could be a baby kookaburra, assume they are quite uncommon round your way, may have been carried away by a bird of pray, trapped in its beak, and the bird of prey then blown off course, when it tired it dropped the young kookaburra on the path near you? 

Oh dear.

It has joined the choirs invisibule. 

It’s not every day you get to say that …