ComingsBirds.com/Birdgroups-A-F

To the Beauty of Birds

The African Mourning Dove, or Mourning Collared Dove (Streptopelia decipiens) is a pigeon which is a widespread resident breeding bird in Africa south of the Sahara. Despite its name, it is not a close relative of the North American mourning dove, Zenaida macroura. This species is common or abundant near water. They often mingle peacefully with other doves.

The mourning collared dove is a largish, stocky pigeon, up to 31 cm in length. Its back, wings and tail are pale brown. The head is grey and the underparts are pink, shading to pale grey on the belly. There is a black hind neck patch edged with white. The legs and a patch of bare skin around the eye are red.

When flying, it shows blackish flight feathers and extensive white in the tail, the latter being a distinction from the similar but larger red-eyed dove. The call is a fast krrrrrrrr, oo-OO, oo.

The mourning collared dove's flight is quick, with the regular beats and an occasional sharp flick of the wings which are characteristic of pigeons in general.

African Morning Dove

Dove African Morning 4041

Dove African Morning 7102

Dove African Morning 1944