Collared doves are one of the ornithological enigmas of the 20th century.  During the first half of the century, they rapidly expanded their range from southeast Europe and, by the early 1950s, arrived in Norfolk, quickly colonising the East Anglian coast.

By the mid 1960s, the first collared doves were recorded in Little Paxton and they have gone from strength to strength, taking advantage of bird feeding in local gardens during the winter.  Although they breed in the village, often in leylandii trees, collared doves are relatively scarce around the Pits.  After the breeding season, however, small flocks forage in the quarry near Diddington.