Other Scientific Names
Streptopelia senegalensis [Christidis and Boles (2008)], Streptopelia senegalensis [AERC TAC (2003)], Streptopelia senegalensis [BirdLife International (2004)], Streptopelia senegalensis [Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)], Streptopelia senegalensis [Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993)], Streptopelia senegalensis [Cramp and Simmons (1977-1994)]
Other Names (World)
Laughing Dove, Senegal Turtle-Dove, Senegal Dove, Palm Dove, Egyptian Turtle-dove, Little Brown Dove, Indian Little Brown Dove, Town Dove, Village Dove, Garden Dove
Common through most of south-western wheatbelt, towns and farms.
Habitat
Railways, streets, parks and gardens in cities and towns. Also in agricultural areas, around farm houses, and lighted wooded areas near settlements.
North Africa, Arabia, Palestine, Persia, India. In Australia confined to the vicinity of Perth, WA, although it extends to some country areas and to Rottnest and garden Islands.
Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Food
Grains, bread scraps, seeds from garden plants and roadside weeds, and sometimes, animals, usually feeding on the ground.
Voice
A laughing, undulating or bubbling, mellow sequence like 'did-you-see-a-cuckoo', the last word loudest and clearest. Also, 'quook-kuk-a-kuk-kukooo'.
Laughing Dove (Spilopelia senegalensis) [XC198588]
by Peter Boesman from Keoladeo National Park (near Shreenagar Rural), Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India (call)
Laughing Dove (Spilopelia senegalensis) [XC185291]
by Tom Wulf from Karaulbazar District, Bukhara Province, Uzbekistan (song)
Breeding Season (Guide)
Throughout the year, with a peak in early spring to early fall.
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Nest
A crude, open structure, composed of small sticks, in a tree or shrub.
Eggs (Guide)
2; white; oval; about 29 x 23 mm. Incubation: 14 - 16 days; by both sexes.
Young
Semi-altricial, nidicolous. Fledge in about 21 days.
Subspecies
Differs distinctly in plumage and vocalizations from all congeners. Possibly related to Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis). Birds of Sío Tomé and Príncipe (Gulf of Guinea) sometimes awarded separate subspecies thome, but validity very doubtful, particularly as species may be introduced here.
Subspecies senegalensis introduced to Australia.
The following 7 subspecies are recognised:
senegalensis (Linnaeus, 1766) - Southern and central Africa, north to Mauritania, Algeria, Chad, and southern Egypt, and also western Arabia, Jordan and Israel.
The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9
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BirdLife International Species Factsheet