Ringed Turtle Dove - Streptopelia risoria

Ringed Turtle Dove

Streptopelia risoria

The Ringed Turtle-Dove is a common cage bird and occasionally escapes captivity. Breeding populations are known in the Shafter/Wasco area. Year to year success is not known as continued releases may be the reason for the current population size.

Adults: Length 25-30 cm. Wingspan: 50 cm. Weight: 160g.

Color: Variations from selective breeding are common. Normal coloration pale sandy gray back. Back mottled with darker gray. Grayish white head and breast. Narrow black ring on nape. Bill black and swelled at base. Similar to the larger and slightly darker Eurasian Collared-Dove. Different in the wings with lighter primaries, tail long and broad in flight with white outer webbing. Webbing gray near rump. Center tail feathers gray. Legs short pink. Eyes dark red.

Breeding: monogamous many broods per year, 1-2 white eggs

Nesting: Simple saucer-shaped platform of twigs and plant fibers, built in trees and on buildings

Incubation: 13-14 days by both parents

Fledging: 12-14 days

Maturity: sexually mature at 5-7 months

Voice: a rolling "kooeek-KRRRROOOOO(aw)" and a laughing "heh-heh-heh" excitement cry

Lifespan: maximum 20 years

Flight Speed: 38-50 mph

Diet: seeds, grain and fruit. Doves are unique from other birds as they drink by sucking, so they don't have to tilt their head back to swallow.

Habits: Colonial, non-migratory

Habitat: woodlands and parks near human habitation

Range: Occurs sporadically throughout the continent, although reproduction is questioned throughout the range. These are the doves of the Bible. The domestic Ringed Turtle-Dove originated through selective breeding of the African Collared-Dove, S. roesogrisea from northeast Africa and Saudi Arabia. Raised as pets for over 2,000 years, they are now the most commonly kept doves in the world.

Ringed Turtle-Doves also known as Barbary or Laughing Doves are not particularly hardy and do not survive well in the wild. Birds have been know to breed with the Eurasian Collared-Dove causing even more confusion in trying to distinguish these extremely similar species.

Kern Introduced Species: plant list with a short introduction to exotic species Kern Naturalized Animal Checklist

Bullfrog Virginia Opossum Fox Squirrel ROCK PIGEON Spotted Dove Ringed Turtle-Dove Eurasian Collared-Dove Rose-ringed Parakeet European Starling House Sparrow Hodgepodge of introduced Species

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