It is a medium-sized dove, distinctly smaller than the wood pigeon, similar in length to a rock pigeon but slimmer and longer-tailed, and slightly larger than the related European turtle dove, with an average length of 32 cm from tip of beak to tip of tail, with a wingspan of 47–55 cm, and a weight of 125–240 grams. It is grey-buff to pinkish-grey overall, a little darker above than below, with a blue-grey underwing patch.

The song is a goo-GOO-goo. The collared dove also makes a harsh loud screeching call lasting about two seconds, particularly in flight just before landing. A rough way to describe the screeching sound is a hah-hah. The Eurasian collared dove is not wary and often feeds very close to human habitation, including visiting bird tables; the largest populations are typically found around farms where spilt grain is frequent around grain stores or where livestock are fed.

The Eurasian collared dove is not migratory, but is strongly dispersive. Over the last century, it has been one of the great colonisers of the bird world, travelling far beyond its native range to colonise colder countries. Flocks most commonly number between 10 and 50, but flocks of up to 10,000 have been recorded.