Autonomous Community of the Basque Country

Hunting season

Hohltaube Autonomous Community of the Basque Country

The stock dove (Columba oenas) is a small, blue-grey woodland pigeon without the white markings of the wood pigeon. In Germany it is listed under federal hunting law but carries year-round closed-season protection and is additionally protected as a European bird species under nature-conservation law.

Closed today

When may Hohltaube be hunted in Autonomous Community of the Basque Country?

Open ranges are highlighted. Closed (Schonzeit) months show as empty rows.

January
01.01.31.01.
01.01.31.01.
Allowed on: Thu, Sat, Sun01.01.31.01.
01.01.31.01.
01.01.31.01.
01.01.31.01.
February
Closed
March
Closed
April
Closed
May
Closed season
June
Closed
July
Closed
August
Closed
September
Closed
October
Closed
November
Closed
December
Closed

Exact dates

  • Paloma Zurita · Modalidad: General · Bizkaia · Paloma Zurita

    • 2025-10-122026-01-31
  • Paloma Zurita · Modalidad: En pasos · Bizkaia · Paloma Zurita

    • 2025-10-122026-01-31

    En las líneas de pase no sujetas a ordenación específica, el periodo hábil será el comprendido entre el 12 de octubre de 2024 y el 31 de enero de 2025. Durante este periodo podrá cazarse todos los días de la semana. En estas líneas, los puestos de tiro, tanto aislados como en línea, serán fijos y habrán de estar emplazados necesariamente en las cumbres o zonas altas de las laderas. Por lo que se refiere a las líneas de pase ordenadas se regularán mediante Orden Foral del Departamento de Medio Natural y Agricultura.

  • Paloma Zurita · Modalidad: General · Álava · Paloma zurita

    • 2025-10-122026-01-31· Forbidden weekdays: mon,tue,wed,fri
  • Paloma Zurita · Modalidad: General (excl. En pasos) · Guipuzkoa · Paloma zurita

    • 2025-10-122026-01-31
    • 2024-09-012024-10-11

    Para la media veda: En las líneas de paso tradicional que se sorteen en este período se aplicará la Orden Foral de 16 de julio de 2013, por la que se regula la caza de aves migratorias en pasos tradicionales del Territorio Histórico de Gipuzkoa.

  • Paloma Zurita · Modalidad: En pasos · Guipuzkoa · Paloma zurita

    • 2025-09-152026-01-31

    Para la media veda: En las líneas de paso tradicional que se sorteen en este período se aplicará la Orden Foral de 16 de julio de 2013, por la que se regula la caza de aves migratorias en pasos tradicionales del Territorio Histórico de Gipuzkoa.

  • Paloma Zurita · Modalidad: Puesto fijo paloma · Álava · Paloma zurita

    • 2025-10-012025-12-15

    Palomas migratorias y zorzales (malvices) desde puestos debidamente autorizados de paloma: además de los días autorizados para la caza menor, desde el día 1 de octubre al día 15 de diciembre de 2025 ambos inclusive, sin limitación de días hábiles.

  • Paloma Zurita · Modalidad: Puesto fijo zorzal · Álava · Paloma zurita

    • 2025-11-012026-01-31

    En los puestos de malviz debidamente autorizados de los cotos de Rioja Alavesa, se podrá cazar todos los días desde el 1 de noviembre de 2025 hasta el 31 de enero de 2026.

About Hohltaube

The stock dove (Columba oenas) measures 28 to 32 centimetres in length with a wingspan of 60 to 66 centimetres, making it roughly the size of a feral pigeon and clearly smaller than the wood pigeon. The plumage is uniformly blue-grey, the sides of the neck show a green metallic sheen, the breast carries a pale orange wash and the wings have narrow black trailing edges. Unlike the wood pigeon (Ringeltaube), the stock dove lacks any white neck patch and any white wing bar; unlike the pale grey collared dove (Tuerkentaube), it lacks the black hind-neck crescent.

The stock dove is the only native pigeon species that depends on tree cavities for breeding. It is tightly bound to old-growth stands with black woodpeckers, since it relies on abandoned black woodpecker cavities as nesting sites. Preferred habitats are open deciduous and mixed forests with old beech, as well as large parklands and floodplain forests. Breeding takes place inside the cavity, the clutch normally contains two eggs, and incubation lasts sixteen to seventeen days. Central European stock doves are partial migrants that winter in southern and western Europe.

In Germany, the Federal Hunting Act lists the stock dove among huntable species, but it carries a year-round closed season and may not be hunted. In addition, it is strictly protected as a European bird species under the Federal Nature Conservation Act, and its breeding sites and cavity trees may not be damaged. For hunters and ground managers this means above all: preserve old cavity trees, treat black woodpecker territories carefully, and never confuse the stock dove with huntable pigeon species in the field.

Other species in Autonomous Community of the Basque Country

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Source & disclaimer

All information without guarantee. Hunting and closed seasons are sourced from the state hunting associations. Spotted an error? Email us at info@hunterco.de.