About the Emerald-spotted Wood Dove
The emerald-spotted wood dove or emerald-spotted dove is a bird of the family Columbidae, resident across eastern and southern Africa. It is a species of open drier deciduous woodland and second growth. It is absent from evergreen rainforests and semidesert areas.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The emerald-spotted wood dove is a small plump pigeon, typically 20 cm in length. Its back, hindneck, wings, and tail are pale grey-brown, and the folded wings have green metallic patches. There are blackish bands on the lower back and tail. The forehead, crown, and nape are bluish-grey, fading to pinkish-grey on the throat. The underparts are mauve-pink, becoming whiter on the belly. The bill of this dove is blackish with a red base. The sexes are similar, but the female may be slightly duller than the male. The immature has duller green spots and buff fringes to the feathers.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
When to see it
Peak activity in November · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Tambourine DoveTurtur tympanistriaThe tambourine dove is a pigeon which is a widespread resident breeding bird in woodlands and other thick vegetation in Africa south of the Sahara Desert.
Blue-spotted Wood DoveTurtur aferThe blue-spotted wood dove or blue-spotted dove is a species of bird in the family Columbidae.
Black-billed Wood DoveTurtur abyssinicusThe black-billed wood dove or black-billed dove is a pigeon which is a widespread resident breeding bird in a belt across Africa just south of the Sahara Desert.
Side by side: Emerald-spotted Wood Dove vs Namaqua Dove
Learn the Emerald-spotted Wood Dove for real
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