


Pearl-necked Dove
Spilopelia chinensis
Silhouette: Jun Mencius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderColumbiformes (Pigeons and Doves)
- FamilyColumbidae (Pigeons and Doves)
- GenusSpilopelia (Laughing and Spotted Doves)
- SpeciesSpilopelia chinensis (Pearl-necked Dove)
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
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 →
Recent sightings of Pearl-necked Dove in Cuc Phuong National Park
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
Zoos & Centres Where Found
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prague Zoo | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 2 | Ostrava Zoo | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 3 | Zoo Pilsen | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 4 | Zoo Miami | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Beijing Wildlife Park | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 6 | Shanghai Wild Animal Park | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 7 | Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden | 🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR China | |
| 8 | Kunming Zoo | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 9 | Melbourne Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 10 | Philadelphia Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 11 | Kuala Lumpur Bird Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 12 | Tamworth Marsupial Park & Adventure Playground | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 13 | The Living Planet Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 14 | Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 15 | Birds of Eden | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 16 | Ipswich Nature Centre | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 17 | Hertenkamp De Roedel | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | |
| 18 | Peacock Garden | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 19 | Edward Youde Aviary | 🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR China | |
| 20 | Rákosův pavilon | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 21 | Velemlokárium | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 22 | Ocean Park Hong Kong | 🇨🇳 China |
Closest Relatives at Cuc Phuong National Park
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing a Pearl-necked Dove in Cuc Phuong National Park?
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Pearl-necked Dove sighting in Cuc Phuong National Park on a given day, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 130th most-seen of the 159 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see a Pearl-necked Dove in Cuc Phuong National Park?
January, April and June
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Pearl-necked Dove in Cuc Phuong National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February–March, May and August–December, the lowest months. July has too few records to rate.
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 Cuc Phuong National Park the best place to see a Pearl-necked Dove?
52nd of 56
Of the 56 parks where we can rate Pearl-necked Dove sightings, Cuc Phuong National Park ranks 52nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Udawalawe National Park (Sri Lanka, about 90%), Yala National Park (Sri Lanka, about 80%) and Wilpattu National Park (Sri Lanka, about 80%). All parks ranked.
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 Cuc Phuong National Park (9 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.

