Laughing Dove

Laughing Dove Latest News

An uncommon, partially white small pigeon called a laughing dove was recently spotted in the Nagamalai hillock forest near Nambiyur in Erode.

About Laughing Dove

• It is a small pigeon that is a resident breeder in Africa, the Middle East, and the Indian Subcontinent.
• Scientific Name: Spilopelia senegalensis
• Other names include laughing turtle dove, palm dove, and Senegal dove, while in India the name of little brown dove is often used. 
• Distribution: 
  • The species is found in much of sub-Saharan Africa, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. 
  • It is also found in Israel, Lebanon, Syria, the UAE, and Turkey (these populations may be derived from human introductions).
  • It was also introduced in Western Australia.
• Habitat: It is found in dry scrub and semi-desert habitats where pairs can often be seen feeding on the ground. 

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Laughing Dove Features

• It is a long-tailed, slim pigeon, typically 25 cm in length. 
• Its back wings and tail are reddish-brown with blue-grey in the wings. 
• In flight, the underwings are rich chestnut.
• The head and underparts are pinkish, shading to whitish on the lower abdomen. 
• There is black spotting on the throat. The legs are red. 
• Juveniles are more rufous than adults, and have reduced throat spotting.
• They are fairly terrestrial, foraging on the ground in grasslands and cultivation. 
• They are not particularly gregarious, and are usually alone, or in pairs.

Laughing Dove Conservation Status

It is classified as ‘Least Concern’ under the IUCN Red List.

Source: NIE