Fun African Collared Dove Facts For Kids

There are a total of 300 species of dove species in the world and the African collared dove (Streptopelia roseogrisea) is one of these species. The African collared dove (Streptopelia roseogrisea) is identified as a Least Concern species by the IUCN.

The African collared dove [Streptopelia roseogrisea] is endemic to the Sahel, which is the northern parts of Africa and in southwestern Arabia, primarily near arid lands. These birds can also be found near water bodies.

They have been reported to have been introduced to New Zealand. They belong to the kingdom Animalia, order Columbiformes, family Columbidae, and genus Streptopelia.

African collared doves (Streptopelia roseogrisea) travel together in flocks and migrate seasonally from northern parts to southern Nigeria as well as Cameroon. African collared doves are monogamous birds and post-mating, the female collared dove lays one to two eggs per clutch. They are considered to be ancestors of the domestic Barbary dove.

For more relatable content, check out Eurasian collared dove and diamond dove facts.

African Collared Dove Interesting Facts

What type of animal is an African collared dove?

The African collared dove is a type of dove that belongs to kingdom Animalia, order Columbiformes, family Columbidae and genus Streptopelia.

What class of animal does an African collared dove belong to?

African collared doves are birds that belong to the class Aves, family Columbidae, and genus Streptopelia.

How many African collared doves are there in the world?

African collared doves exact population is not known, however their population is considered to be stable. They are classified as a Least Concern species by the IUCN Red List.  

Where does an African collared dove live?

African collared doves range in grasslands, savannas, and coastal regions. They are seen in the Sahel range which is the northern parts of Africa and in southwestern Arabia, primarily near arid lands. They can also be found near water bodies. They have been reported to have been introduced to New Zealand.  

What is an African collared dove's habitat?

An African collared dove's habitat range constitutes coastal areas, grasslands, and savanna. Collared doves are found in open agricultural land as well as in grassy areas or mangroves. They build nests in trees that are closer to the ground during the breeding season.

Who does an African collared dove live with?

African collared doves live in flocks or in a group. They are seldom spotted alone. They coexist with other species in the wild. African collared doves are migratory and they move from one region to another seasonally.

How long does an African collared dove live?

The African collared dove's exact lifespan is not estimated, however, they have been recorded to have lived up to 17 years. Wisdom, a Laysan albatross, is the oldest bird in the world and has been thought to have lived for 70 years.

How do they reproduce?

Male and female birds are monogamous and mate for life. These birds have a set of courtship displays where males engage in deep bowing with the bill positioned towards the ground.

Breeding season may vary across regions. For example in Sudan, the breeding season occurs from December to June, while in Senegal and Gambia, it occurs every month throughout the year.

After mating, females lay one to two eggs per clutch in a nest which they build in a tree or bush consisting of twigs and sticks found in nearby habitat range.

The incubation period is 15 days. Male and female birds are equally involved in raising the young.

What is their conservation status?

African collared doves are classified as a Least Concern species by the International Union For Conservation Of Nature IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

African Collared Dove Fun Facts

What do African collared doves look like?

The African collared dove (Streptopelia roseogrisea) is similar to the Eurasian collared dove as well as the Barbary dove. They have a pale grayish fawn color plumage. Their upper wing and back are pale sandy brown.

Their tail feathers are dark gray with white tips. The gradation of the white tips becomes greater towards the outer tail. Their overall features are similar to other dove species, although their coloration might differ.

They have two red eyes with a black bill and red-colored feet. Juvenile birds are relatively pale in color compared to adult birds. Male African collared dove tends to be bigger in size compared to females. This is primarily due to sexual dimorphism. These birds are primarily distinguished owing to the collar on their neck which is dark-colored.

How cute are they?

Both the African collared dove and the Eurasian collared are equally cute and adorable in appearance. They are sociable birds and their instant response to any threat is their flight instinct in behavior. They range in various habitats.

How do they communicate?

The African collared dove has two distinct calls. The first part of which is a 'coo', assisted by a long descending 'rrrrrrrrroooo' and 'corrrrrrooo.' Apart from this, they also have elaborate courtship displays where the male engages in a deep bowing with its bill positioned to the ground.

How big is an African collared dove?

The African collared dove is 10.2-10.6 in (260-270 mm) in length which is eight times bigger than the smallest bird in the world, the bee hummingbird measuring 2.2-2.4 in (5.5-6.1 cm) in length. Their length varies as a female bird tends to be smaller compared to a male bird.

How fast can an African collared dove fly?

An African collard dove's exact flight speed is not recorded however, they are known to have fast flights using clipped wing beats. The average speed recorded for dove birds is 55 mph (88.5 kph). The bird uses its flight instinct when it detects danger.

How much does an African collared dove weigh?

The African collared bird body weight is 0.3-0.4 lb (150-160 g). The heaviest bird in the world is an ostrich which can weigh up to 200 lb (90.71 kg).

What are the male and female names of the species?

A male dove is called a cock, and a female dove is referred to as a hen. They are similar to each other in appearance.

However, males tend to be bigger in size compared to females, and they also differ in reproductive functions. Males and females are equally darker, and the mark on their color stands out since it is darker in appearance.

What would you call a baby African collared dove?

Baby African collared doves are called squabs which are born blind and usually without feathers. Young squabs are completely dependent on their parents. The squabs feed on the female dove bird's milk in the first three or four days of their life. Juveniles are lighter, while adults are darker in color with an even darker color on their necks.

What do they eat?

These birds are a herbivorous diet species and feed primarily on grass seeds and plants, grains. They also eat berries and insects including ants and snails as part of their diet.

African collared doves do not need to tilt their heads in order to drink water. This bird species is capable of putting its beaks in pools of water and using the beak as humans would use a straw in the wild.

Are they dangerous?

No, this bird species is not dangerous. They are sociable birds similar to Barbary and Eurasian collared doves. Eurasian collared and barbary birds reside in separate regions.

They can be spotted by birdwatchers in sites similar to pigeons or other birds. Identification of these birds is easy since they can be spotted by the collar mark on their neck in regions they are native to.

They are innately wild birds, so it's not safe to pet them unless domesticated in which case they are sociable in behavior.

Would they make a good pet?

Raising a dove or a pigeon is a common phenomenon in various places. Their behavior is sociable and they are accommodative to various kinds of habitats. They are capable of being domesticated.

A popular species similar to the African collared dove is the Barbary dove which is domesticated in various regions of the world. Over a period of time, doves are capable of recognizing humans. They can be trained or tamed as well as domesticated.

Did you know...

The dove is a symbol of grace, peace, divinity, and gentleness. When one thinks of a dove, they usually picture a white bird however, there are 300 species of dove in the world.

A bird's head consists of five bones the frontal, the parietal, premaxillary, and nasal. The skull in the head of a bird usually weighs one percent of the bird's body.

How do you tell if a collared dove is male or female?

Males and females are similar in appearance, however, males tend to be bigger than females primarily due to sexual dimorphism. Although this is not a great point of difference, it is easy to identify if observed closely.

Their wing size differs as well. A female's wing length is greater than a male's wing length.

Juvenile birds are light gray in color, while adults are darker in color. Identification can be done further if a professional is consulted where you could differentiate between the male and female based on their reproductive functions.

Why do collared doves coo?

The 'coo' of collared doves consists of two parts. They perform a 'cooing' to drive people and predators to distraction. Some people enjoy hearing their voices. They have separate calls for different messages such as eating, mating, and other functions they perform.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our grey-cheeked parakeet facts and stilt owl facts page.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable African collared dove coloring pages.