# African Collared-Dove (*Streptopelia roseogrisea*) The African Collared-Dove is a gentle bird with a soft cooing sound. It has a beautiful grayish color and a distinctive black 'collar' around its neck. These doves are often seen in pairs, making them lovely companions in the sky. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Urban areas ![African Collared-Dove](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Streptopelia_roseogrisea%252C_Waza_NP%252C_Cameroon_%28cropped%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Streptopelia_roseogrisea%252C_Waza_NP%252C_Cameroon_%28cropped%29.jpg) ## Appearance The African Collared-Dove is a slender bird, pale grey-brown overall with a distinctive narrow black collar on its hindneck. Its head is a lighter grey, and its underside has pinkish tones, contrasting with darker flight feathers. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Columbiformes - **Family:** Columbidae - **Genus:** Streptopelia ## Interesting facts - Often found near human settlements, they're very comfortable with people! - Their soft 'coo-COO-coo' call is distinctive in their African habitats! - These doves are unique for drinking water without ever tilting their heads! - They build incredibly flimsy nests, often just a few twigs! ## Special abilities - **Sip-Suck Drinker:** African Collared-Doves can drink water by sucking it up like a straw, unlike most birds that scoop and tilt their heads. - **Rapid Breeder:** African Collared-Doves can raise multiple broods in a year, which helps their populations thrive quickly. - **Sun Navigator:** African Collared-Doves possess an innate ability to navigate vast distances using the sun's position. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 25-28 cm - **Wingspan:** 40-45 cm - **Weight:** 0.12-0.16 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-10 years - **Speed:** 60 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-2 - **Incubation:** 14-16 days ## Diet & Feeding These doves mainly eat various seeds and grains found on the ground, sometimes small fruits. - **Primary Foods:** Grass seeds, Weed seeds, Millet, Wheat, Small berries - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Domestic Cat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/domestic-cat) (*Felis catus*) — A common predator, especially in suburban areas. - **Eaten by:** [Eurasian Sparrowhawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eurasian-sparrowhawk) (*Accipiter nisus*) — Hunts small birds in wooded and open areas. - **Eats:** [Wheat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/wheat) (*Triticum aestivum*) — Forages for fallen grains in agricultural fields. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Gliding](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/gliding): Gliding animals move through the air by launching themselves and maintaining flight with specialized body structures, without flapping wings. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify African Collared-Dove? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is African Collared-Dove? 25-28 cm ### What is African Collared-Dove's wingspan? 40-45 cm ### How much does African Collared-Dove weigh? 0.12-0.16 kg ### How long does African Collared-Dove live? 5-10 years ### How fast can African Collared-Dove move? 60 km/h ### What does African Collared-Dove eat? These doves mainly eat various seeds and grains found on the ground, sometimes small fruits. ### Where is African Collared-Dove usually found? Urban areas ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [African Collared-Dove: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/african-collared-dove)