Pearl-necked Dove
Pearl-necked DovePearl-necked DovePearl-necked DovePearl-necked Dove

Pearl-necked Dove

Spilopelia chinensis

Silhouette: Jun Mencius · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely
at Ho Chi Minh City

In 3 days >90%

411 Verified sightings at Ho Chi Minh City
39,753 In all 56 parks From 2019 to 2026
March Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Pearl-necked Dove

The spotted dove or eastern spotted dove (Spilopelia chinensis) is a small and somewhat long-tailed pigeon that is a common resident breeding bird across its native range on the Indian subcontinent and in East and Southeast Asia. The species has been introduced to many parts of the world and feral populations have become established.

This species was formerly included in the genus Streptopelia with other turtle-doves, but studies suggest that they differ from typical members of that genus. This dove is long tailed buff brown with a white-spotted black collar patch on the back and sides of the neck. The tail tips are white and the wing coverts have light buff spots.

There are considerable plumage variations across populations within its wide range. The species is found in light forests and gardens as well as in urban areas. They fly from the ground with an explosive flutter and will sometimes glide down to a perch. It is also called the mountain dove, pearl-necked dove, lace-necked dove, and spotted turtle-dove.

The spotted dove was formally described in 1786 by the Austrian naturalist Giovanni Antonio Scopoli and given the binomial name Columba chinensis. Scopoli based... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Song0:25

China · 2026

© Albert Lastukhin · XC1138609 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Call0:08

China · 2024

© 小菜鸟 · XC877988 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Song0:53

India · 2025

© Peter Boesman · XC1030898 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Udawalawe National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
~90%
2 Yala National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
~80%
3 Wilpattu National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
~80%
4 Kanha National Park 🇮🇳 India
~80%
5 Mudumalai National Park 🇮🇳 India
~80%
6 Bandhavgarh National Park 🇮🇳 India
~70%
7 Bandipur National Park 🇮🇳 India
~70%
8 Satpura National Park 🇮🇳 India
~70%
9 Chitwan National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
~70%
10 Minneriya National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
~70%
11 Kaziranga National Park 🇮🇳 India
~70%
12 Nagarhole National Park 🇮🇳 India
~70%
13 Bali Barat National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
~70%
14 Sundarbans National Park 🇮🇳 India
~70%
15 Sinharaja Forest Reserve 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
~60%
16 Royal Bardia National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
~60%
17 Manas National Park 🇮🇳 India
~60%
18 Gir National Park 🇮🇳 India
~60%
19 Komodo National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
~50%
20 Periyar National Park 🇮🇳 India
~50%
21 Kaeng Krachan National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~50%
22 Jim Corbett National Park 🇮🇳 India
~50%
23 Khao Yai National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~50%
24 Ranthambore National Park 🇮🇳 India
~40%
25 Doi Inthanon National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~40%
26 Khao Sok National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~40%
27 Royal Manas National Park 🇧🇹 Bhutan
~30%
28 Way Kambas National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
~30%
29 Cat Tien National Park 🇻🇳 Vietnam
~30%
30 Kerinci Seblat National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
~30%
31 Gunung Leuser National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
~20%
32 Sepilok 🇲🇾 Malaysia
~20%
33 Horton Plains National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
~20%
34 Taman Negara National Park 🇲🇾 Malaysia
~20%
35 Khao Luang National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~20%
36 Eravikulam National Park 🇮🇳 India
~20%
37 Noosa National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~20%
38 Keoladeo National Park 🇮🇳 India
~10%
39 Bako National Park 🇲🇾 Malaysia
~10%
40 Rottnest Island 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
41 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
42 Wilsons Promontory National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
43 Daintree National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
44 Tangkoko Nature Reserve 🇮🇩 Indonesia
~10%
45 Namdapha National Park 🇮🇳 India
~10%
46 Royal National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
47 Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary 🇲🇾 Malaysia
<5%
48 Langtang National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
<5%
49 Taroko National Park 🇹🇼 Taiwan
<5%
50 Springbrook National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
51 Kinabalu Park 🇲🇾 Malaysia
<5%
52 Cuc Phuong National Park 🇻🇳 Vietnam
<5%
53 Blue Mountains National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
54 Booderee National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
55 Lamington National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
56 Danum Valley Conservation Area 🇲🇾 Malaysia
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Hajipur 🇮🇳 India
>90%
2 Suzhou 🇨🇳 China
~90%
3 Visakhapatnam 🇮🇳 India
~90%
4 Shanghai 🇨🇳 China
~90%
5 Denpasar 🇮🇩 Indonesia
~90%
6 Tamluk 🇮🇳 India
~90%
7 Kaohsiung 🇹🇼 Taiwan
~90%
8 Hong Kong 🇨🇳 China
~90%
9 Jakarta 🇮🇩 Indonesia
~90%
10 Guwahati 🇮🇳 India
~90%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

# Zoo / Centre Country
1 Prague Zoo 🇨🇿 Czechia In captivity
2 Ostrava Zoo 🇨🇿 Czechia In captivity
3 Zoo Pilsen 🇨🇿 Czechia In captivity
4 Zoo Miami 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
5 Beijing Wildlife Park 🇨🇳 China In captivity
6 Shanghai Wild Animal Park 🇨🇳 China In captivity
7 Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden 🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR China In captivity
8 Kunming Zoo 🇨🇳 China In captivity
9 Melbourne Zoo 🇦🇺 Australia In captivity
10 Philadelphia Zoo 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
11 Kuala Lumpur Bird Park 🇲🇾 Malaysia In captivity
12 Tamworth Marsupial Park & Adventure Playground 🇦🇺 Australia In captivity
13 The Living Planet Aquarium 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
14 Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens 🇨🇳 China In captivity
15 Birds of Eden 🇿🇦 South Africa In captivity
16 Ipswich Nature Centre 🇦🇺 Australia In captivity
17 Hertenkamp De Roedel 🇳🇱 Netherlands In captivity
18 Peacock Garden 🇨🇳 China In captivity
19 Edward Youde Aviary 🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR China In captivity
20 Rákosův pavilon 🇨🇿 Czechia In captivity
21 Velemlokárium 🇨🇿 Czechia In captivity
22 Ocean Park Hong Kong 🇨🇳 China In captivity

Closest Relatives at Ho Chi Minh City

Zebra Dove
LC

Zebra Dove

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Geopelia striata

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
Rock Pigeon
LC

Rock Pigeon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Columba livia

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Pink-necked Green-Pigeon
LC

Pink-necked Green-Pigeon

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Treron vernans

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Red Turtle Dove
LC

Red Turtle Dove

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Streptopelia tranquebarica

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
LC

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Passer montanus

Daily sighting probability ~90% · Very likely
Coppersmith Barbet
LC

Coppersmith Barbet

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Psilopogon haemacephalus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
Ayeyarwady Bulbul
LC

Ayeyarwady Bulbul

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Pycnonotus blanfordi

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
White-nest Swiftlet
LC

White-nest Swiftlet

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Aerodramus fuciphagus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
House Sparrow
LC

House Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Passer domesticus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Yellow-vented Bulbul
LC

Yellow-vented Bulbul

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Pycnonotus goiavier

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Ashy Tailorbird
LC

Ashy Tailorbird

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Orthotomus ruficeps

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Chinese Pond Heron
LC

Chinese Pond Heron

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Ardeola bacchus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Pearl-necked Dove in Ho Chi Minh City?

Very likely

About 80% of wildlife watchers report a Pearl-necked Dove sighting in Ho Chi Minh City on a given day, based on 411 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 2nd most-seen of the 103 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Pearl-necked Dove in Ho Chi Minh City?

February and March

In those months about 90% of wildlife watchers report a Pearl-necked Dove in Ho Chi Minh City on a given day, against about 60% in April and May, the lowest months. Those are among Ho Chi Minh City's driest months, with about 10 mm of rain a month against 220 mm in October.

What time of day is best to see a Pearl-necked Dove?

Between 3 and 6 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Pearl-necked 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.

Is Ho Chi Minh City the best place to see a Pearl-necked Dove?

37th of 139

Of the 139 cities where we can rate Pearl-necked Dove sightings, Ho Chi Minh City ranks 37th at about 80%. The best odds are in Hajipur (India, over 90%), Suzhou (China, about 90%) and Visakhapatnam (India, about 90%).

Which relatives of the Pearl-necked Dove live in Ho Chi Minh City?

Same family: Columbidae

The closest relatives of the Pearl-necked Dove that you can see in Ho Chi Minh City (family Columbidae, Pigeons and Doves) are Zebra Dove (about 70%), Rock Pigeon (about 30%) and Pink-necked Green-Pigeon (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Pearl-necked Dove sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Pearl-necked Dove is recorded against all the birds logged in Ho Chi Minh City (411 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.

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