Bird Watching: Eurasian Collared-Doves , 5 by wingwoman

wingwoman wrote:
I usually go to the bird ID forum, but this topic has more to do with bird behavior. I’ve always had a soft spot for Mourning Doves, their gentleness, the blue ring around their eyes. I grew up in the Texas panhandle on a cotton farm, listening to their call in the early mornings. We referred to them as Turtledoves. We recently began observing some flamboyant behavior among our back yard turtledoves - a lot of PDA, and mating often enough to attract notice. Around that time we purchased a bird guide, and I learned about the Eurasian Collared-Dove, which has a black collar around the nape of the neck, as do these birds that have been getting it on like rabbits in our back yard. I got curious then, and began searching out our domestic turtledoves, hoping they were still coming around. I finally spotted a couple of them pecking around on the ground beneath the tray feeders, and I was relieved to see them. I’ve never seen these domestics eat out of any of the feeders, but they often hang out in our court yard, perching on a railing, just being friendly. Over the last couple of weeks, the Eurasians have begun to eat from our bird feeders, and they hover in the trees above the domestics as they’re eating on the ground, sometimes moving in on them. Since the cost of feeding backyard birds ain’t exactly chicken feed, we’re not too pleased with these brutes intimidating our sparrows and finches at the feeders. I’m wondering if there’s a nut, seed, berry, insect or other edible that Eurasians would find disgusting. Something that would discourage them from crowding out our sweeties at breakfast time. Any suggestions?