Kingdom Animalia Genus Streptopelia Higher classification Streptopelia Order Columbiformes | Family Columbidae Phylum Chordata Rank Species | |
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Scientific name Streptopelia tranquebarica Similar Bird, Streptopelia, Pigeons and doves, Oriental turtle dove, Chalcophaps | ||
The red turtle dove (Streptopelia tranquebarica), also known as the red collared dove, is a small pigeon which is a resident breeding bird in the tropics of Asia.
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Description
The male has a bluish head and light red-brown body with a black ring round its neck while the female is similar but is pinkish all over.
Habitat, distribution and status
This dove is essentially a plains species, extending to Taiwan and the Philippines but uncommon on the Malaysian archipelago, avoiding rocky foothill and an oriential species. There is however a summer migration into the broader cultivated valleys of Afghania where it breeds. It is the commonest dove throughout Punjab. It is a summer migrant visitor to India, where it is more or less resident. They prefer better-wooded tracts such as canal or roadside tree plantations and avoid extensive desert regions. When they first arrive they are often in small flocks, but they soon split up and start pair formation and breeding.
