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SPOTTED DOVE

The Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis) is a small and somewhat long-tailed pigeon which is a common resident breeding bird across its native range on the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. 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. The species is found in light forests and gardens as well as in urban areas.
It is sometimes also called the Chinese Dove, Mountain Dove, Pearl-necked Dove or Lace-necked Dove.

The ground color of this long and slim dove is rosy buff below shading grey on the head and belly. There is a half collar on the back and sides of the neck made of black feathers that bifurcate and have white spots at the two tips. The back has brown feathers with rufous spots in the Indian and Sri Lankan subspecies. The lesser median coverts are grey brown.

The Spotted Dove in its native range in Asia is found across a range of habitats including woodland, scrub, farmland and habitation. In India it tends to be found in the moister regions, with the Laughing Dove (Spilopelia senegalensis) being commoner in the drier areas. These doves are mostly found on the ground where they forage for seeds and grain or on low vegetation

Spotted Doves move around in pairs or small groups as they forage on the ground for grass seeds, grains, fallen fruits and seeds of other plants.. Advertisement