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Namaqua Dove
(Oena capensis)
Size: 22-26 cm (incl. tail 10-12 cm); wing span 28-33 cm
Weight: 40 g (average)
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Physical description |
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 Click here for a physical description
Namaqua Doves are very small, slender, long-tailed doves.
They are one of only a few species of pigeons and doves
with a distinctive
dimorphism
in their plumage,
i.e. a pronounced difference between
male
and female.
Apart from an off-white chin and edges on the ear coverts, female
Namaqua Doves have an all-grey head, front and back.
Only the upperwing coverts are lighter grey. The flight feathers
are near-black dark-grey.
Apart from the light-grey upperwing coverts both the upperwings
and the underwings appear to be rufous with a black fringe in flight.
The tail, which is long and narrow when perched, takes on
a wedge shape in flight when gaining altitude or banking,
exposing black tips and white edges on the outer tail feathers.
Males
have largely the same
plumage as
females,
with one major exception: Their frons, lores, chin and chest are
pitch-black, rather than grey.
The irises of both sexes are black.
Males
have an orange bill with red base,
females
have a grey bill. The legs and feet of both sexes are dark pinkish-grey.
Juveniles
mostly resemble
females,
but have a variegated pattern on their upperwings and crop.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Namaqua
Dove at Wikipedia  .
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Range, habitat |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of the Namaqua Dove is available
HERE
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The range of Namaqua Doves extends from most of Africa (anywhere
to the South of the Sahara desert, except the Congo basin) and
Magagascar, via parts of Arabia and the Middle East, into southern
Asia Minor.
On the Arabian peninsula Namaqua Doves are found mostly
along the Red Sea coast and in southern Yemen, but there
is a population on the eastern side of the peninsula as
well, where they are present along parts of the Persian
Gulf coastline, but also in inland Saudi Arabia.
In Oman we have found Namaqua Doves on the country's
northern coastal fringe.
Namaqua Doves have a preference for acacia-dominated semi-desert
country, but are found around farmland too. They are shy and
do not normally allow close human proximity.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Namaqua Doves were first seen by us near Sohar, some 200 km West of
Muscat, in May 2010.
The photos presented below taken in May 2010 were obtained at Sun
Farms, Sohar (Batinah region). Special permission to enter the
premises for bird photography is hereby most gratefully acknowledged.
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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MALE |
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Slightly blurred lateral view of a male Namaqua Dove
[Sun Farms, Sohar, May 2010]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
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Distant lateral view of a juvenile male Namaqua Dove
[Sun Farms, Sohar, May 2010]
Distant lateral view of a juvenile male Namaqua Dove
with its head turned away
[Sun Farms, Sohar, May 2010]
Lateral view of a juvenile Namaqua Dove in flight
[Sun Farms, Sohar, May 2010]
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Food, Diet |
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As all pigeons and doves, Namaqua Doves are strictly vegetarian.
To the best of our knowledge they feed exclusively on seeds.
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
Call/s
