Speckled Pigeon

Q: What are the chances of seeing a Speckled Pigeon in Nairobi?

Possible. About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Speckled Pigeon sighting in Nairobi on a given day, based on 469 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 35th most-seen of the 234 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.

Q: When is the best time to see a Speckled Pigeon in Nairobi?

January, July, September and November. In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Speckled Pigeon in Nairobi on a given day, against about 10% in May, the lowest month.

Q: What time of day is best to see a Speckled Pigeon?

Between 7 and 10 am. Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Speckled Pigeon sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Q: Is Nairobi the best place to see a Speckled Pigeon?

11th of 19. Of the 19 cities where we can rate Speckled Pigeon sightings, Nairobi ranks 11th at about 20%. The best odds are in Maiduguri (Nigeria, about 80%), Abuja (Nigeria, about 70%) and Serrekunda (Gambia, about 70%).

Q: Where does the Speckled Pigeon sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records. It is estimated from how often the Speckled Pigeon is recorded against all the birds logged in Nairobi (469 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.

Columba guinea

Silhouette: Steven Traver · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderColumbiformes (Pigeons and Doves)
FamilyColumbidae (Pigeons and Doves)
GenusColumba (Typical Old World Pigeons)
SpeciesColumba guinea (Speckled Pigeon)

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

at Nairobi

In 3 days ~60% in a week ~80%

469 Verified sightings at Nairobi

9,428 In all 44 parks From 2019 to 2026

January Best month

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Speckled Pigeon

The speckled pigeon (Columba guinea), also known as the African rock pigeon or Guinea pigeon, is a pigeon that is a resident breeding bird in much of Africa south of the Sahara. It is a common and widespread species in open habitats over much of its range, although there are sizable gaps in its distribution.

In 1747 the English naturalist George Edwards included a description and an illustration of the speckled pigeon in the second volume of his A Natural History of Uncommon Birds. His hand-coloured etching was made from two live birds at the home of the Duke of Richmond in London. Edwards was told that the pigeons had been brought from the inland region of Guinea in West Africa. When in 1758 the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus updated his Systema Naturae for the tenth edition, he placed the speckled pigeon with all the other pigeons in the genus Columba. Linnaeus included a brief description, coined the binomial name Columba guinea and cited Edwards' work.

Despite the marked differences in plumage from the rock dove C. livia, speckled pigeon is closely related to it, and in captivity will hybridise with it; the hybrid males (but not the first-generation hybrid females... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Song0:26

Kenya · 2024

Call0:37

South Africa · 2020

Song1:23

Gambia · 2021

Global Distribution

Where it is recorded most Our parks where it lives Our cities where it livesIn captivity: 51 zoos & centres

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Niokolo-Koba National Park	🇸🇳 Senegal	~50%
2	Bale Mountains National Park	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	~50%
3	Golden Gate Highlands National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~50%
4	Awash National Park	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	~40%
5	West Coast National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~40%
6	Pilanesberg National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~40%
7	Table Mountain National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~40%
8	Namib-Naukluft National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	~40%
9	Lake Nakuru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~30%
10	Garden Route National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~30%
11	Nairobi National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~30%
12	De Hoop Nature Reserve	🇿🇦 South Africa	~30%
13	Amboseli National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~30%
14	Kidepo Valley National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~30%
15	Samburu National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	~20%
16	Tarangire National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~20%
17	Addo Elephant National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~20%
18	Serengeti National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~20%
19	Ruaha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~20%
20	Ngorongoro Conservation Area	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~20%
21	Tsavo East National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~20%
22	Waterberg Plateau Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	~20%
23	Meru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~20%
24	Volcanoes National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	~10%
25	Masai Mara National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
26	Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
27	Lake Manyara National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
28	Tsavo West National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
29	Murchison Falls National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~10%
30	Mkomazi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
31	Arusha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
32	Etosha National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	<5%
33	Hwange National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	<5%
34	Lake Mburo National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
35	Akagera National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	<5%
36	Aberdare National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
37	Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
38	Chobe National Park	🇧🇼 Botswana	<5%
39	Queen Elizabeth National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
40	Bwindi Impenetrable National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
41	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
42	Kruger National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
43	Nyungwe National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	<5%
44	Kibale National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%

Cities Where Found

#	City	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Maiduguri	🇳🇬 Nigeria	~80%
2	Abuja	🇳🇬 Nigeria	~70%
3	Serrekunda	🇬🇲 Gambia	~70%
4	N'Djamena	🇹🇩 Chad	~60%
5	Lagos	🇳🇬 Nigeria	~40%
6	Addis Ababa	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	~40%
7	Dakar	🇸🇳 Senegal	~40%
8	Cape Town	🇿🇦 South Africa	~40%
9	Cotonou	🇧🇯 Benin	~30%
10	Johannesburg	🇿🇦 South Africa	~20%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

#	Zoo / Centre	Country
1	Réserve africaine de Sigean	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
2	Parc des oiseaux	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
3	Zoo de Doué	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
4	Al Ain Zoo	🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates	In captivity
5	Toronto Zoo	🇨🇦 Canada	In captivity
6	Columbus Zoo and Aquarium	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
7	Oakland Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
8	Louisville Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
9	Kyiv Zoo	🇺🇦 Ukraine	In captivity
10	Caldwell Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
11	Woodland Park Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
12	Parc zoologique et forestier Michel-Corbasson	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
13	Moody Gardens	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
14	Night Safari	🇸🇬 Singapore	In captivity
15	Twycross Zoo	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	In captivity
16	Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
17	Oregon Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
18	Lisbon Zoo	🇵🇹 Portugal	In captivity
19	Singapore Zoo	🇸🇬 Singapore	In captivity
20	San Antonio Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
21	Zoo Atlanta	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
22	Bird Paradise	🇸🇬 Singapore	In captivity
23	Център за защита на природата и животните	🇧🇬 Bulgaria	In captivity
24	Plock Zoo	🇵🇱 Poland	In captivity
25	Rainforest Wild Asia	🇸🇬 Singapore	In captivity
26	Welsh Mountain Zoo	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	In captivity
27	Birdworld	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	In captivity
28	La Ferme aux crocodiles	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
29	Vogelpark Avifauna	🇳🇱 Netherlands	In captivity
30	Paphos Zoo	🇨🇾 Cyprus	In captivity
31	Monkeyland	🇿🇦 South Africa	In captivity
32	River Wonders	🇸🇬 Singapore	In captivity
33	Elephant Sanctuary, The Crags, Plettenberg Bay	🇿🇦 South Africa	In captivity
34	Happy Hollow Park & Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
35	Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
36	UMA "El Palapo"	🇲🇽 Mexico	In captivity
37	Bird Park Steinen	🇩🇪 Germany	In captivity
38	Alameda Park Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
39	World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary and Monkey Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	In captivity
40	Zoo Koki (Parque zoológico y botánico)	🇪🇸 Spain	In captivity
41	Zoo Lagos	🇵🇹 Portugal	In captivity
42	Kecskeméti Vadaskert	🇭🇺 Hungary	In captivity
43	Birds of Eden	🇿🇦 South Africa	In captivity
44	Mississippi Aquarium	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
45	Zoo de Lourosa	🇵🇹 Portugal	In captivity
46	Golders Hill Park Zoo	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	In captivity
47	Aviary	🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR China	In captivity
48	Bird Kingdom	🇨🇦 Canada	In captivity
49	Dobrich Zoo	🇧🇬 Bulgaria	In captivity
50	Exotic Animal World	🇿🇦 South Africa	In captivity

Show all 50 Show fewer

Closest Relatives at Nairobi

Columba livia

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Columba larvata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Streptopelia semitorquata

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Streptopelia lugens

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Turtur tympanistria

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Streptopelia capicola

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Spilopelia senegalensis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Treron calvus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Turtur chalcospilos

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Milvus migrans

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Pycnonotus barbatus

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Bostrychia hagedash

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Speckled Pigeon in Nairobi?

Possible

About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Speckled Pigeon sighting in Nairobi on a given day, based on 469 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 35th most-seen of the 234 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Speckled Pigeon in Nairobi?

January, July, September and November

In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Speckled Pigeon in Nairobi on a given day, against about 10% in May, the lowest month.

What time of day is best to see a Speckled Pigeon?

Between 7 and 10 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Speckled Pigeon sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Nairobi the best place to see a Speckled Pigeon?

11th of 19

Of the 19 cities where we can rate Speckled Pigeon sightings, Nairobi ranks 11th at about 20%. The best odds are in Maiduguri (Nigeria, about 80%), Abuja (Nigeria, about 70%) and Serrekunda (Gambia, about 70%).

Where does the Speckled Pigeon sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Speckled Pigeon is recorded against all the birds logged in Nairobi (469 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.

← Back to Nairobi

Speckled Pigeon

About the Speckled Pigeon

Sounds

Recent sightings of Speckled Pigeon in Nairobi

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Cities Where Found

Zoos & Centres Where Found

Closest Relatives at Nairobi

Rock Pigeon

African Lemon Dove

Red-eyed Dove

Dusky Turtle Dove

Tambourine Dove

Cape Turtle Dove

Laughing Dove

African Green Pigeon

Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove

Black Kite

Common Bulbul

Hadada

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Speckled Pigeon in Nairobi?

When is the best time to see a Speckled Pigeon in Nairobi?

What time of day is best to see a Speckled Pigeon?

Is Nairobi the best place to see a Speckled Pigeon?

Where does the Speckled Pigeon sighting chance come from?