Streptopelia roseogrisea
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
The African collared dove (Streptopelia roseogrisea) is a small dove found in the Sahel, northern parts of the Horn of Africa and southwestern Arabia. Although it lives in arid lands, it is found around water sources. This bird is typically around 26 cm (10 in) in length and 130–166 g weight. Its upper body, from shoulders to tail, is a pale greyish brown, though the wing edge has a bluish tinge. The flight feathers are darker, and nearly black. The head, neck and breast are pinkish shading to white on the chin and belly. There is no sexual dimorphism.
Two subspecies are currently accepted, though the genetic difference is minimal and the species may be better considered monotypic. Streptopelia roseogrisea roseogrisea — nominate subspecies; across Africa in the Sahel region just south of the Sahara Desert east to north-central Sudan
Streptopelia roseogrisea arabica (Neumann, 1904) — northeast Sudan to Eritrea and Somalia, and southwestern Arabia; slightly darker than nominate The African collared dove is the wild ancestor of the domestic Barbary dove; some in the past have suggested that the Eurasian collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto) may also have been involved, but there is only minimal evidence to support this. The African collared dove is able to interbreed with the Barbary dove, and it is thought that the increase in the range of colours of Barbary doves available that occurred in the later 20th century was the result of the importation of African collared doves into the United States for interbreeding.
It has a diet of grass seeds and other plants. They would also eat berries, insects, and snails. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Awash National Park | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | |
| 2 | Niokolo-Koba National Park | 🇸🇳 Senegal |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auckland | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Maiduguri | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | |
| 3 | Riyadh | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | |
| 4 | Serrekunda | 🇬🇲 Gambia | |
| 5 | Addis Ababa | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | |
| 6 | Mesa | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an African Collared Dove sighting in Auckland on a given day, based on 577 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 45th most-seen of the 93 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February and December
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report an African Collared Dove in Auckland on a given day, against under 5% in June, the lowest month.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most African Collared Dove sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 6 cities where we can rate African Collared Dove sightings, Auckland has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Maiduguri (Nigeria, about 10%) and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia, about 10%).
Same family: Columbidae
The closest relatives of the African Collared Dove that you can see in Auckland (family Columbidae, Pigeons and Doves) are Rock Pigeon (about 60%), Pearl-necked Dove (about 50%) and New Zealand Pigeon (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the African Collared Dove is recorded against all the birds logged in Auckland (577 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
