From Opus

Alternative names: African Mourning Dove, Angola Collared-Dove

Streptopelia decipiens

Photo by balticbird

[edit] Identification

31cm. Pale brown back, wings and tail, grey head, pink underparts, pale grey belly, black hind neck patch edged with white, yellow eyes, ring of bare red skin around eye, dark brown bill, purple-pink legs and feet. Black flight feathers, white in tail. Sexes similar.

[edit] Distribution

Africa south of the Sahara.

[edit] Taxonomy

Despite its name, the Mourning Collared Dove is not a close relative of the North American Mourning Dove, Zenaida macroura.

There are six subspecies, which are differenciated based on their size and differences in the colouring of their underparts (shades of grey on the flanks, and extent of the white on the belly). The southern race is S. d. ambigua (described above). Other subspecies are S. d. decipiens, S. d. shelleyi, S. d. logonensis, S. d. elegans, and S. d. perspicillata.

[edit] Habitat

Moist lowland savanna, riverine Acacia woodland, and cultivated areas.

[edit] Behaviour

It builds a stick nest in a tree, often a mangrove, and lays 2 white eggs.

Diet includes mainly grass seeds, grains and other vegetation, but also eat termite alates.

[edit] External Links

References: Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ & Ryan PG (eds) 2005. Robert's Birds of Southern Africa, 7th edition. Cape Town: John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. ISBN 0620340533