Bird watching in Africa - Mourning Collared Dove, African Mourning Dove, Streptopelia decipiens

Length: 28 cm
Wingspan:
Weight: 140 - 230 g
Longevity:
Distinctive Feature •
Similar Species • Red-eyed Dove is similar but larger, and with both eye ring and iris red. African Collared Dove differs in having a white (not red) eye ring and a red (not yellow) iris, and a slightly narrower black collar. From opus at www.birdforum.net the forum for wild birds and birding.
Female / Male • Sexes similar. From opus at www.birdforum.net the forum for wild birds and birding.

The Mourning Collared Dove, or African Mourning Dove (Streptopelia decipiens) is a dove which is a widespread resident breeding bird in Africa south of the Sahara. Despite its name, it is not a close relative of the North American mourning dove, Zenaida macroura. This species is common or abundant near water. They often mingle peacefully with other doves.

Range map from www.oiseaux.net - Ornithological Portal Oiseaux.net

www.oiseaux.net is one of those MUST visit pages if you're in to bird watching. You can find just about everything there

Description
The mourning collared dove is a largish, stocky pigeon, up to 31 cm in length. Its back, wings and tail are pale brown. The head is grey and the underparts are pink, shading to pale grey on the belly. There is a black hind neck patch edged with white. The legs and a patch of bare skin around the eye are red.

When flying, it shows blackish flight feathers and extensive white in the tail, the latter being a distinction from the similar but larger red-eyed dove. The call is a fast krrrrrrrr, oo-OO, oo.

Sexes are similar, but immatures are duller than adults, and have scalloping on the body feathers.

Length: 28 cm

Wingspan:

Weight: 140 - 230 g

Longevity:

Distinctive Feature

•

Similar Species

• Red-eyed Dove is similar but larger, and with both eye ring and iris red. African Collared Dove differs in having a white (not red) eye ring and a red (not yellow) iris, and a slightly narrower black collar.

From opus at www.birdforum.net the forum for wild birds and birding.

Female / Male

• Sexes similar.

From opus at www.birdforum.net the forum for wild birds and birding.

Listen to the Mourning Collared Dove

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Behaviour
The mourning collared dove's flight is quick, with the regular beats and an occasional sharp flick of the wings which are characteristic of pigeons in general.

Diet and feeding
Mourning collared doves eat grass seeds, grains and other vegetation. They are quite terrestrial, and usually forage on the ground. Unlike several other species in this genus, they are quite gregarious and often feed in groups.

Reproduction
It builds a stick nest in a tree, often a mangrove, and lays two white eggs.

Conservation status

Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)

IUCN Red List f Threatened Species. IUCN. 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.

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