Doves & PigeonsCommon Bronzewing Crested Pigeon Diamond Dove Flock Bronzewing Spinifex Pigeon Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis)

The Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis) native range is on the Indian subcontinent and southeast Asia. Introduced to other parts of the world, including Australia, it has established feral populations

Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis), Alice Spring NT © Dorothy Latimer
Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis), Alice Spring NT © Dorothy Latimer

Formerly included in the genus Streptopelia with other turtle-doves, and described as species Streptopelia chinensis. Recent studies suggest that they differ from typical members of that genus. This dove has a long tailed buff brown and has a white-spotted black collar patch on the back and sides of the neck. The tail tips are white and the wing coverts have light buff spots.1

Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis), Alice Spring NT © Dorothy Latimer
Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis) © Dorothy Latimer

With wide ranging populations of this species, there have been observed considerable plumage variations. The species is found in light woodland and forests habitats, as well as having adapted well to cultivated gardens and other urban areas.

Often found foraging on the ground, they will fly up from the ground with an explosive flutter, often gliding to a perch further away.

Common name
Mountain Dove, Pearl-necked Dove, Lace-necked Dove, Spotted Turtle-dove. Sometimes may be referred to as a topknot pigeon, which is the common name that given to species Lopholaimus antarcticus along the east coast of Australia.

Juvenile Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis), Alice Spring NT © Dorothy Latimer
Juvenile Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis), Alice Spring NT

  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Chordata
  • Subphylum: Vertebrata
  • Informal: Gnathostomata
  • Class: Aves
  • Order: Columbiformes
  • Family: Columbidae
  • Subfamily: Columbinae
  • Genus: Spilopelia
  • Species: Spilopelia chinensis
  • Subspecies:
    • Spilopelia chinensis chinensis (Scopoli, 1786)
    • Spilopelia chinensis tigrina (Temminck, 1809)

formerly:

  • Genus: Streptopelia
  • Species: Streptopelia chinensis

Footnote & References

  1. Spotted dove, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotted_dove (last visited Aug. 12, 2022).
  2. Spilopelia chinensis (Scopoli, 1786), Spotted Dove, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/d3bf2b8a-e178-4adb-9c5e-bef63c34e032

Doves & PigeonsCommon Bronzewing Crested Pigeon Diamond Dove Flock Bronzewing Spinifex Pigeon Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis)

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