Oriental Turtle Dove
Oriental Turtle Dove
Lip Kee Yap
Widespread throughout eastern Europe and Asia and even into harsh mountain habitats, the Oriental turtle dove has distinct scaled plumage and a prominent neck patch that makes identification easy. These large doves are attractive and can be a highly sought after addition to a birder's life list.
Common Name:
Oriental Turtle Dove, Rufous Turtle Dove, Mountain Turtle Dove, Japanese Turtle Dove
Scientific Name:
Streptopelia orientalis
Scientific Family:
Appearance:
- Bill: Short, straight, dark, curved culmen
- Size: 12-14 inches long with 23-inch wingspan, short tail, stocky build
- Colors: Gray, buff, black, brown, rufous, white, pink, blue, red
- Markings: Genders are similar with a gray head, throat and nape that may show a buff, blue or pinkish wash, especially in good light. A prominent black and gray striped patch is easily visible on the side of the neck. The back is gray-blue with blurry black blotches, and the wings are dark with broad buff or rufous fringes that give the bird and overall scaled appearance. The lower abdomen is lighter and the undertail coverts may be white or gray depending on the subspecies. The tail is dark can may show a blurry whitish-gray tip. The eyes are orange-brown with a large dark pupil and the legs and feet are reddish purple. Juvenile birds look similar to adults but are more gray-brown overall, have finer scaling on the wings and lack the striped neck patch.
Foods:
Seeds, grain, berries (See: Granivorous)
Habitat and Migration:
These large doves prefer open forest habitats with coniferous or mixed coniferous anddeciduous trees, particularly where there are bare branches available for perches and roosting. They are also readily found in open marshes and agricultural areas where grain crops are dominant. The Oriental turtle dove's widespread range covers most of Asia, including Japan, Taiwan, China, India and Sri Lanka as well as into the Himalayan Mountains up to elevations of 4,000-5,000 feet. They are also found in mountainous areas of eastern Europe, but are absent from dense tropical regions.
Birds in the northern parts of this species' range will migrate further south in the autumn and winter, but birds in the southeastern areas of the range generally remain in the same region year-round. These birds are recorded are rare autumn and winter vagrants to northwestern Europe and the United Kingdom as well as occasional sightings in Alaska. Vagrant sightings reported elsewhere are largely believed to be escaped birds.
Vocalizations:
These doves have a hoarse, throaty, growling song that consists of four “coo” syllables with a slight change in tempo that may have one or two syllables shorter or faster than the first longer syllables.
Behavior:
These are relatively shy, quiet birds that are most often found alone, though small flocks can be seen from late summer through the winter. They will perch on bare branches or wires during the day, and may roost in similar areas at night.
Reproduction:
Oriental turtle doves have a courtship display where the male will make gliding flights in view of the female while he fans his tail to show off his markings. After mating, these birds will lay 2-3 eggs per brood (though three eggs is rare) in a shallow, flimsy twig nest built no higher than 25-30 feet above the ground. The eggs are plain, creamy white and slightly oval-shaped. A mated pair will raise 1-2 broods per season and may re-lay eggs if a nest is destroyed.
The incubation period is 15-16 days and both parents share incubation duties. The hatchlingsare altricial and require extensive parental care for an additional 16-18 days until they are ready to leave the nest.
Attracting Oriental Turtle Doves:
In the proper range and habitat, these birds will visit ground feeding areas or large tray feeders where seeds and grain such as millet and cracked corn are available. They will also readily visit bird baths to drink. Adding bird-friendly landscaping and low shrubs can help provide shelter that will make this shy species feel more secure.
Conservation:
The Oriental turtle dove is not considered threatened or endangered in any way, and its extensive range helps protect the species from localized threats. Nevertheless, feral cats can be devastating to these ground-feeding birds, and overuse or improper applications of pesticides on grain crops can poison birds that feed on spilled grain.
