# Laughing Dove (*Spilopelia senegalensis*) The Laughing Dove is a small, gentle bird known for its sweet cooing sounds. It has beautiful brown and gray feathers and loves to hang out in gardens and parks. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Urban areas - **Also known as:** Spotted Dove, Turtle Dove ![Laughing Dove](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/140_Laughing_dove_in_Twyfelfontein_Photo_by_Giles_Laurent.jpg&width=800) Photo: Giles Laurent, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:140_Laughing_dove_in_Twyfelfontein_Photo_by_Giles_Laurent.jpg) ## Appearance The Laughing Dove is a small, slender dove with a pale rufous-pink breast and a blue-grey head. It has a distinctive dark, finely spotted neck patch that sets it apart, and a relatively long tail. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Columbiformes - **Family:** Columbidae - **Genus:** Spilopelia ## Interesting facts - Doves drink water by sucking it up like a straw, unlike most birds! - Its "laughing" call sounds like a cheerful "coo-coo-coo-coo," a delightful sound! - Laughing Doves often build flimsy nests in unusual, safe spots like thorny bushes. - They can live in busy cities and quiet deserts, showing amazing adaptability! ## Special abilities - **Desert Thriver:** Laughing Dove has efficient water-use adaptations, allowing them to thrive in hot, dry environments. - **Ground Forager:** Laughing Dove can skillfully spot tiny seeds on the ground, helping them find food easily. - **Quick Escape Artist:** Laughing Dove can explode into rapid flight, helping them quickly escape from predators. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 25-28 cm - **Wingspan:** 35-42 cm - **Weight:** 0.08-0.12 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-7 years - **Speed:** 60 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-2 - **Incubation:** 12-14 days - **Migration Distance:** 0 km ## Diet & Feeding These little birds love munching on seeds, grains, and sometimes tiny insects found on the ground. - **Primary Foods:** Seeds, Grains, Small insects, Fallen berries - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Common Kestrel (*Falco tinnunculus*) — A natural predator that hunts small birds. - **Eaten by:** [Domestic Cat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/domestic-cat) (*Felis catus*) — Often preys on doves in human-populated areas. - **Depends on:** Gum Arabic Tree (*Senegalia senegal*) — Provides seeds and nesting sites for doves. - **Eats:** [Wheat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/wheat) (*Triticum aestivum*) — Consumes fallen grains from 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. - [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 Laughing 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 Laughing Dove? 25-28 cm ### What is Laughing Dove's wingspan? 35-42 cm ### How much does Laughing Dove weigh? 0.08-0.12 kg ### How long does Laughing Dove live? 3-7 years ### How fast can Laughing Dove move? 60 km/h ### What does Laughing Dove eat? These little birds love munching on seeds, grains, and sometimes tiny insects found on the ground. ### Where is Laughing 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: [Laughing Dove: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/laughing-dove)