Red collared dove facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Red collared dove |
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| Male in Singapore | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Streptopelia
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| Species: |
tranquebarica
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The red collared dove (Streptopelia tranquebarica) is a small bird. It is also known as the red turtle dove. This bird is a type of pigeon. It lives and breeds in warm parts of Asia. The male bird has a blue-grey head and a reddish-brown body. The female looks simpler, with light brown feathers.
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Naming the Red Collared Dove
Scientists give animals special names. This helps everyone know which animal they are talking about. The red collared dove was first described in 1804. A French scientist named Johann Hermann gave it the name Columba tranquebarica.
The second part of its name, tranquebarica, comes from a town. This town is called Tranquebar. It is now Tharangambadi in southern India. Later, the red turtle dove was placed in a different group. This group is called Streptopelia.
The name Streptopelia comes from Ancient Greek words. Streptos means "collar." Peleia means "dove." This name fits the bird well!
Different Types of Red Collared Doves
There are two main types, or subspecies, of the red collared dove:
- S. t. humilis: This type lives in eastern Nepal, northeastern India, and Tibet. It also lives in northern China and the Philippines.
- S. t. tranquebarica: This type is found in Pakistan, India, and western Nepal.
What Does It Look Like?
The red collared dove is a small bird. It is about 20.5 to 23 centimeters (8 to 9 inches) long. It weighs around 104 grams (3.7 ounces).
The male bird has a bluish head. Its body is a light reddish-brown. It also has a black ring around its neck. The female bird looks similar. However, she is more pinkish all over her body.
Where Do They Live?
This dove mainly lives in flat areas. You can find it in places like Taiwan and the Philippines. It is not very common in Indonesia. It avoids rocky hills.
During the summer, some doves fly to Afghanistan. They breed there in the wide, farmed valleys. It is the most common dove in Punjab. It is a summer visitor to other parts of India. It prefers areas with many trees. This includes trees along canals or roads. It does not like large desert areas. When they first arrive, they are often in small groups. Soon, they find a partner and start to breed.
How Are They Doing?
The red collared dove lives in a very large area. We do not know exactly how many there are. But scientists believe there are many of them. There might be a small decrease in their numbers. However, this decrease is very slow.
Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed them as a species of "Least Concern". This means they are not in danger of disappearing soon.
