DISPERSAL AND RANGE EXTENSION OF THE COLL ARED DOVE (STREPTOPELIA-DECAOCTO) IN EUROPE

The range extension of the Collared Dove to Europe began in the 1930s, when the population in the Balkans and Western Turkey was very low. T his is a typical situation for genetic drift, which appears to have fa voured a higher frequency of dispersal to the northwest. The interbree ding of individuals colonising areas northwest of the original area fu rther increased the preference for northwestern dispersal and resulted in greater dispersal distances. However, these individuals were elimi nated when the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean were reached. The reco very of ringed birds has shown that dispersal distances have significa ntly decreased in Europe since the 1970s and that there has been no si gnificant preference for dispersal direction since the period of range extension.