McALLEN EXPANSION!
City of McAllen has been awarded a grant for the Veterans War Memorial!
UPCOMING EVENTS!
SOME LIKE IT HOT!
Check out our monthly listings of what’s happening in the RGV!
Junior League of McAllen, Inc. shares a secret to a magnificent margarita!
Welcome Home See article on page 2.
See calendar on page 8.
Try their recipe on page 6.
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RIO GRANDE VALLEY
May 2016
• • • your official connection to the rio grande valley • • •
Doves of the Rio Grande Valley by John Brush
Doves and pigeons are some of the I
blinked, and April came and went! The month of May will also be a flurry of activity for us at Welcome Home RGV as we gear up for the summer months ahead. Most people think we close the office while we wait for our Winter Texans to return in early fall. Quite the contrary! The off-season brings with it a slower pace and allows us to get caught up on dreadful things like paperwork. But it also allows us time to define new opportunities, to strategize, and to give careful consideration to our goals and objectives for the upcoming season. On a personal level, I’m afraid I’ll blink, and it will be June. I am preparing myself for my only daughter’s high school graduation. It will be a whirlwind month of parties, celebrations, and, more than likely, tears. I am thankful to have work to keep my mind preoccupied because otherwise my thoughts inevitably turn to her leaving. I am also grateful for the slower pace of summer so I can spend some extra time with my daughter before she spreads her wings and leaves in August for the University of Texas at Austin. (Hook ‘em!). I hope you enjoy the pages that follow, and I want you to know our team values YOUR readership and support as much as we appreciate our Winter Texan friends’. We’ll work just as hard to keep you entertained and informed throughout the summer months as we do during the “on-season.” Wish me luck on my daughter’s graduation. Go Bulldogs! • We’re just connecting the dots,
Kristi
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most familiar species of birds in the world. They are commonly hunted, bred as a hobby, kept as pets, and frequently seen in towns and cities. There are eight species found in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, making our area one of the most dove-diverse regions in the United States. Let’s go through the line-up! We have two species of pigeons in the Valley: Rock Pigeon and Redbilled Pigeon. Note that “dove” and “pigeon” are sometimes used interchangeably, but typically birds called pigeons are larger than those called doves. Due to the many feral populations established in towns and cities, Rock Pigeons (a Eurasian species) are one of the most widely distributed birds in the world, and are spread across almost all of the Americas (where they were introduced in the 1600s). The Red-billed Pigeon is not a cosmopolitan species, as they are only found in Mexico and Central America. Though common in much of Central America, these purplemaroon plumaged pigeons are only found in the United States—in Texas-between Laredo and Rio Grande City. This species is one of the most sought-after by visiting birders and often leads to excited whoops and hollers when seen. There are four medium- to largesized doves that inhabit the Valley:
Pic 1: Common Ground-Dove by Erik Bruhnke--The Common Ground-Dove is the smallest dove in the LRGV and is just a little bit bigger than a House Sparrow. Pic 2: Eurasian Collared-Doves by Derek Iden-Eurasian Collared-Doves were accidentally released in the Bahamas about 40 years ago, and they have spread across the United States at a rapid rate. Pic 3: Inca Dove by Michelle Hockaday Summers-The small Inca Dove looks like it is covered in fish scales and has an easily identifiable call: “WHIRL pool, WHIRL pool.” Pic 4: Mourning Dove by John Brush--Mourning Doves can often be seen perched on wires, along fences, or between telephone poles with their long, pointed tails sticking out behind and below them. Pic 5: Red-billed Pigeon by Tripp Davenport-- The beautiful Red-billed Pigeon can only be found in the United States between Laredo and Rio Grande City. Pic 6: Rock Pigeon by Jason Allan Jakymowycz--Rock Pigeons have had a variety of names and nicknames over the years: Rock Dove, Feral Pigeon, Domestic Pigeon, Homing Pigeon, War Pigeon, and Flying Rat. Pic 7: White-tipped Dove by Erik Bruhnke-- Whitetipped Doves are one of the largest dove species found in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. They are usually found under feeders (here with an Inca Dove) or running away to the safety of the woods.
Mourning Dove, Eurasian CollaredDove, White-winged Dove, and White-tipped Dove. Mourning Doves are common across the United States and are readily identified by their long tail and black spots on their wings. The Eurasian Collared-Dove is another non-native species that has successfully invaded North America. They established a population in Florida in the 1980s, and have quickly spread over most of North America. Their three note “coo-COOcoo” is now a regular sound in urban areas across the Valley. DOVES OF THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 >>
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