Africa Wild

353. African Mourning Dove, Mourning Collared Dove Streptopelia decipiens (Rooioogtortelduif)
Order: Columbiformes. Family: Columbidae


Description
Size 28-30 cm. Its back, wings and tail are pale brown. The head is grey and the underparts are pink, shading to pale grey on the belly. Black flight feathers, white in tail. One of the 'ring-necked doves', with a conspicuous black collar, clearly fringed with white along its upper edge, on the back of its neck. It has a patch of bare skin around the eye are red. The bill is blackish; the legs and feet pink. Males and females are similar.
The juvenile is browner than the adults, and have wing coverts tipped buff.
Similar species: Smaller, paler grey than the larger Red-eved Dove, which is much larger, is overall very much darker and has a deep red (not pale) eye. When flying, it shows blackish flight feathers and extensive white in the tail, the latter being a distinction from the Red-eyed Dove. It may be distinguished from the similar Cape Turtle Dove by the red skin around yellow eyes and the totally grey head.

Distribution
It occurs in sub-Saharan Africa, excluding the lowland forest of West Africa and the DRC. In southern Africa it is locally common in northern Namibia, northern Botswana, southern and northern Zimbabwe, Mozambique and north-eastern South Africa. Particularly common at Satara and Letaba camps in the Kruger National Park.
The African Mourning Dove has a localized distribution, with two apparently separate populations: a southern one in the lowveld of the eastern and northern Transvaal, the Limpopo Valley and adjacent lowlands, Zimbabwe and Botswana, extending eastwards into Mozambique; and a northern one extending from the Zambezi Valley in northern Zimbabwe, westwards through the Caprivi and at scattered localities across northern Namibia, southwards into the Okavango and along the upper Boteti River.

Habitat
Thornveld, riverine forest, cultivated areas and gardens in bushveld. It generally prefers moist lowland savanna, riverine Acacia woodland and cultivated areas surrounding villages. It can also be found in patches of Ana-trees (Faidherbia albida) on flood plains of the Zambezi river.

Diet
Mainly eats seeds, supplemented with insects and fruit. It typically forages on the ground, in flocks of up to about 30 birds.

Breeding
Mourning Doves are monogamous. The female builds the nest with material collected by the male, consisting of a 15 cm wide bowl, made with twigs, leaves and roots, and typically placed in forks in trees 1.5-15.0 m above ground. It lays 1-2 white eggs, which are incubated for about 13-14 days. The chicks stay in the nest for 15-18 days.

Call
A soft, dove-like call can often be heard at night, a loud krroooo, okrroooo or coo, coo.

Status
Locally common resident.

353. African Mourning Dove Streptopelia decipiens





© pooky

© Dewi

© Flutterby

Links:
Sabap2
Birds of Botswana
Newman's birds of Southern Africa
M.K. Rowan. The doves, parrots, louries, and cuckoos of southern Africa

352. Red-eyed Dove Streptopelia semitorquata (Grootringduif)
Order: Columbiformes. Family: Columbidae



Description
Size 34 cm. Largest 'grey' dove in region. Pale brown back, wings and tail, black flight feathers. In flight it shows grey outer tail feathers. Dark pink head and underparts shading to pale grey on the face, black hind neck patch edged with white and red eye-ring. The legs and a patch of bare skin around the eye are red. Sexes alike.
Juveniles are duller than adults. Black collar partly developed; feathers edged buff, giving it a light mottled appearance.
Similar species: Dark red eyes separate it from African Mourning Dove, which has bright yellow eyes. Deep purple-pink eye-ring distinguishes it from greyer-plumaged Cape Turtle Dove.

Distribution
Across sub-Saharan Africa, including southern Africa, where it is common in northern Namibia, northern and south-eastern Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland, Lesotho and South Africa.

Habitat
Dry bushveld, coastal forests, city gardens and open parks.

Diet
Its diet includes grass seeds, grains and other vegetation. They often forage on the ground.

Breeding
Monogamous. The female usually builds the nest, using material collected by the male; it consists bowl of twigs lined with grass. It may also use nests of other birds, such as crows, thrushes and egrets. Egg-laying season is year round, usually peaking from September-January. It lays 1-2 white eggs which are incubated by both parents for 14-17 days. The chicks stay in the nest for 15-20 days.

Call
Usually 6-note KOO KOO, ku-ku KOO-koo, with emphasis on first 2 notes. Listen to Bird Call.

Status
Common resident.

352. Red-eyed Dove Streptopelia semitorquata

© Flutterby

© Dewi

© steamtrainfan

Links:
Species text Sabap1
Sabap2
Birds of Botswana
Newman's birds of Southern Africa

354. Cape Turtle Dove Streptopelia capicola (Gewone Tortelduif)
Order: Columbiformes. Family: Columbidae



Description
28 cm. Colouring pale brownish grey, but varies locally from very pallid to quite sooty-grey. Darker colours on their backs with black collar on hindneck narrowly rimmed with white. White tips at end of tail feathers visible in flight. Black eyes without eye-ring. Sexes alike.
Juvenile lacks black hindneck collar; upperparts and breast fringed buff.
Similar species: Similar to, but greyer than, larger Red-eyed Dove, and without bare red skin around eyes. Lacks chestnut colouring on upperparts as in Laughing Dove; white outer tail feathers conspicuous in flight. It may be distinguished from an African Mourning Dove by having a paler grey head and a dark eye, and by lacking red skin around the eyes.

Distribution
Occurs from Ethiopia south through Tanzania, southern DRC, Zambia and Angola to southern Africa. It is one of the most prolific birds in southern Africa.

Habitat
Woodland, farmland, suburban parks and gardens. It often nests, roost and eats in and around alien trees, such as Port Jackson Willow (Acacia saligna), Rooikrans (Acacia cyclops), pines (Pinus) and eucalyptus trees (Eucalyptus).

Diet
It mainly eats seeds, supplemented with fruit, nectar, leaves and invertebrates. It usually forages on the ground, looking for seeds and fallen fruits.

Breeding
Monogamous. The female usually makes the nest in 3-8 days, doing most of the work in the early morning. The nest is a small platform of twigs, grass, roots and sometimes pine needles, usually about 15 cm wide. It is typically placed in the fork of a tree, surrounded by dense foliage and often in suburban gardens or parks. Sometimes, the female will repair a nest from the previous season, instead of making a new one. It also uses nests of other birds, such as doves and pigeons, egrets, thrushes and sparrows. Egg-laying season is year-round, peaking from August-November in winter rainfall areas. It lays 1-2, rarely 4 eggs, which are incubated by both parents for about 13-16 days; the male incubates from about 10h00-16h00 and the female does the rest. Once the chicks hatch, the egg shells are immediately thrown out of the nest. They are fed and brooded by both parents, leaving the nest for the adjacent bush after about 16-17 days. They are dependent on their parents for approximately 12 more days.

Call
Loud kuk-koorr-ko or work harder, work harder, repeated 10-40 times; calls throughout the day.

Status
Very common, locally abundant resident. Nomadic movements recorded in arid regions.

354. Cape Turtle-Dove Streptopelia capicola (Gewone Tortelduif)

© Mel

© Dewi

© BluTuna

© Kesheshe
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Cubitje Quap

Links:
Species text Sabap1
Sabap2
Birds of Botswana
Newman's birds of Southern Africa

355. Laughing Dove Spilopelia senegalensis (Rooiborsduifie)
Order: Columbiformes. Family: Columbidae



Description
25 cm in length. The sexes are similar in plumage, the female being slightly paler than the male. Diagnostic is the black-speckled necklace across the breast. They are pinkish grey in colour, and are the only doves in the Southern Africa that have pinkish-grey heads, rufous breasts spotted with black and that lack the black collar on the back of the neck. The belly is white, fading into the pale rufous of the breast. White outer tail feathers conspicuous in flight. Partially melanistic individuals occasionally recorded. Legs and feet are purplish red, the bill is black and the eyes are brown. Sexes alike but female is smaller and paler.
Juvenile: Breast grey, lacks black speckling. Overall paler and browner than adult.
Similar species: This species may be distinguished from the larger Cape Turtle Dove by the lack of a black hind collar, by the diagnostic, black-speckled necklace across its cinnamon breast, and by its cinnamon-coloured back.

Distribution
Occurs across sub-Saharan Africa, largely excluding Gabon, southern Cameroon and central DRC. In southern Africa it is extremely common and widespread.

Habitat
Woodland, farmland, suburban parks, Acacia plantations and gardens.

Diet
Eats mainly seeds, as well as small fruit, bulbs and insects, doing most of its foraging on the ground.

Breeding
Monogamous. It normally makes its own nest in about two days, with the male collecting material which the female incorporates into the nest. The nest is a frail bowl of twigs and leaves, 8-14 cm wide, lined with fine material such as rootlets. It is typically placed in a fork in a tree, which is often an alien. It also uses nest of other birds, such as Cape Turtle-Dove, Kurrichane Thrush, Olive Thrush and Cape Sparrow. Nests are frequently re-used. Egg-laying season is year-round, peaking from August-December. It lays 1-6, usually 2 white eggs, which are incubated by both sexes for 12-14 days. The parents change shifts twice daily: the female incubates in the night, and the male takes the day shift The chicks are fed frequently for the first week of their lives, 1-4 times per hour, after which they are fed one or two times an hour. For the first three days they are fed only crop milk, after which they are fed a mixture of small and large seeds. The nestlings remain in the nest for 12-13 days. Three to four days before they have learnt to fly, they leave the nest for the surrounding bush. Leaving the nest before being able to fly is why people mistakenly rescue chicks that seem to have 'fallen out of the nest'.

Call
Its bubbling call gives the bird its common name, as the multiple notes koo-koo-kurukuku-koo. Listen to Bird Call.

Status
Very common, sometimes abundant resident.

355. Laughing Dove Spilopelia senegalensis (Rooiborsduifie)



© Sharifa
Garden in Gauteng

© ExFmem

© Bushcraft
Garden in KwaZulu-Natal

Links:
http://sabap2.adu.org.za/docs/sabap1/355.pdf
http://sabap2.adu.org.za/spp_summary.ph ... &section=3
Birds of Botswana
Newman's birds of Southern Africa
http://www.oiseaux-birds.com/card-laughing-dove.html

358. Emerald-spotted Wood Dove Turtur chalcospilos (Groenvlekduifie)
Order: Columbiformes. Family: Columbidae


Description
Its back, hindneck, wings and tail are pale grey brown. Emerald green wing spots are diagnostic, but may appear black in poor light. There are blackish bands on the lower back and tail. The forehead, crown and nape are bluish grey, fading to pinkish grey on the throat. The underparts are mauve-pink, becoming whiter on the belly. The bill is blackish with a red base and separates it from Blue-Spotted wood-Dove. Sexes alike.
Juveniles have upperparts flecked and barred with buff or rufous, smaller and duller wing spots.

Distribution
Occurs in sub-Saharan Africa, excluding arid areas. In southern Africa it is is fairly common in northern Namibia, northern and south-eastern Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland and eastern and southern South Africa.

Habitat
Variety of wooded habitats, especially Acacia woodland, riparian margins and semi-arid savanna.

Diet
Mostly seeds of herbs and grasses. Forages on sparsely vegetated ground, feeding on invertebrates, fallen fruit and seeds.

Breeding
Monogamous. It builds its own nest, which is a platform of twigs, stems and roots, placed 0.5-6.0 m above ground in a tree, bush or aloe. The nest is some­times re-used for successive clutches. It lays 1-2 cream-coloured eggs, which are incubated mainly by the female for approximately 17 days. The chicks stay in the nest for 15-17 days before leaving.

Call
Slow hoo wuhoo hoo whoo speeding up to faster do do do dododododo. Listen to Bird Call.

Status
Very common resident, subject to limited local movements; found singly or in pairs.

358. Emerald-spotted Wood Dove Turtur chalcospilos

© Flutterby

© Toko

Links:
Species text Sabap1
Sabap2