Stock Dove photographed at Mt. Herault [MHE] on 2/5/2012 Photo: © Michelle Hooper (visit site)

The species was first reported in Guernsey by C C Carey in 1949. A pair bred at Saumarez Park in 1951. The nest site was in a hole some 50 feet up in an elm tree.

Primarily a bird of parkland, the forest edge and wooded farmland Stock Doves are now resident and occur widely on farmland and along the cliffs in the islands. Flocks of between 10 and 25 birds are regularly recorded in autumn and winter and these are believed to be local birds as the populations in both northern France and the UK are thought to be sedentary. However, obvious influxes have been reported with 180 birds in September 1993 and flocks of over 400 birds in November 1996 around Saumarez Park and Rue des Transquesous. These are most likely to have been continental birds moving out of central Europe. The watch site at Carolles in Normandy which normally reports annual figures of between 100 and 800 had over 1,500 passing south at the end of October of the same year.

In Guernsey, it is now a regular breeding species and species can be found around the south coast cliffs and in farmland, especially around the Fauxquets Valley area throughout the year.