First let me preface that in no way was I addressing the identification
  of the West Machester birds. I have no seen a photograph nor to
  this moment seen a physical description of the size of the pale bird.
I only brought up the matter of pale variants within the context of
  this recent sighting.
    A few more words on Eurasian collared-doves (ECD, Streptopelia
decaocto) to add to Paul Gardner's and Vic Fazio's remarks. I'm sure Vic
does not advocate identifying the West Manchester piebald bird based on
its size alone, or suggest that plumage characteristics aren't important
in the identification of ECD.

  Not at all. The standard characters in field guides will lead you to
  what we know to be Eurasian Collared-Doves. My point was that
  automatically attributing these piebalds to something else is
  confusing the issue, especially when bringing into the discussion
  the much smaller Ringed Turtle Dove (African if you wish but
  following commonly available field guides to which one may
  refer to follow this discussion I will stick to Ringed Turtle-Dove).
  And what apparently is a lack of attention to size ... as that is
  a distinguishing mark (given the often ready side-by-side
  comparison with Mourning Doves) .. or can someone point me to
  a reference indicating that Ringed/Africans can exceed a Mourning
  Dove in heft.

I had a look at two of my European field guides on Eurasian collared
doves, Mullarney et al. (1999) and Jonsson (1992), with English titles
'Birds of Europe.' Both are, I believe, pretty much up to date and very
highly regarded, and would not fail to mention important plumage
variations in the species they treat. The ECD has been there since the
'70s, and Europe's many excellent observers are more familiar than
Americans with it by now; as far as we know, Europe is the source of our
ECDs. Both guides illustrate and describe a single set of plumage
characteristics, just as do Sibley, the National Geographic guide, etc.,
on this side of the pond. I don't know of any North American field guide
that mentions plumage variations for this species such as Vic hints at.

  I granted the point regarding "original stock" and suggested that some
  recent genetic mechanism may be at play.

I've made numerous trips to Florida, the Ground Zero of this species'
invasion, since the '80s, and have never noticed aberrant ECD plumages
in thousands of sightings.

  For 14 years I made twice yearly trips to Sanibel I. where relatives
  own property. I've spent hrs watching roosts, numbering up to
  500 by 1999. And not once have I seen the variation that I see in
  Oklahoma.

  If there are documented records of wild S.
decaocto exhibiting obvious variations from treatments in reputable
field guides, then it's time someone wrote a paper formally describing
them for ornithology.

  I think it would be helpful to point out that of the Oklahoma birds
  the species was an accidental as recently as 2000. By 2001, there
  were perhaps a 2-3 dozen in Lawton, OK. By 2004, one could find
  that many in a neighborhood, and 5-10 in surrounding communities.
  By 2006, for the first time, the species could be saifd to be
  common and widespread. I estimate their Lawton numbers tripled
  in 2007. In other words the variation I speak of has been only
  seen for 3 years.

  Ringed turtle-dove and Streptopelia 'risoria,' terms now abandoned by
the AOU in favor of African collared-dove S. roseogrisea, denoted a
domesticated form in N. America (there are minor differences in opinion
on this, with the AOU maintaining there are three small self-supporting
colonies, and the ABA that it's not viable anywhere in the wild in N.
America), quite tame and easily kept in captivity.

  Then someone needs to go to Oklahoma City. You can find this form
  around Lake Overholser for example. Dr. Joe Grzybowkski showed me
  several there in 2002 and was not surpsied at their presence.
  These birds were no where near a residence. Furthermore waching these
  birds made apparent differences in flight style and profile owing to
  the slender build. A Eurasian Collared-Dove can be picked out from
  a half mile in silhouette by its unique (in North America at least)
  courtship flight and approach to landing.


   It is often released, ad some individuals can closely resemble ECDs because so many
phenotypes have been fostered by breeders--see the web address Paul
offers. Unfortunately, hybrids--some of them doubtless
confusing--between this pet form and the wild ECD exist and have been
widely reported in the literature, and are bound to increase as the
latter occupies North America.

  Further complicating matters is the recent report of the possible
  offspring of the union between Rock Pigeon and Eurasian Collared
  back-crossing with Eurasian Collared Dove*. Where might such a
  pairing take place ... why at the fringe of the population expansion
  in this case in South Dakota.

  * Martin, R. 2007. Spring Migration: March through May 2007. North
  American Birds. p. 467-468.

  As to evidence of hybridization within these pale variants, I made
  no suggestion that any immediate pairing was involved. And as Bill
  Whan indicates, a bird exhibiting HYBRID charcaters is no
Eurasian Collared-Dove. What I do suggest is that with a history
  of introgression of genetic material from S. roseogrisea, that in
  circumstances where Eurasian Collared-Doves find themselves
  prone to pairing with close relatives (e.g. at the periphery of an
  expanding population) that it may be possible to see the expression
  of variation from the original stock ....

  ... so brow beat me with all those European treatises all you like ... :-)

  they are rendered moot by the brave New World that S. decaocto
  finds itself in, in all likelihood arriving here through a genetic
  bottleneck (relatively few birds within the founding population),
  upon which natural slection now acts ...

  cheers

  Vic Fazio
  Shaker Hts, Oh




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