Speckled Pigeon

Overview

The speckled pigeon (Columba guinea), also known as the African rock pigeon or Guinea pigeon, is a resident breeding bird found throughout much of Africa south of the Sahara. It is a common and widespread species in open habitats, though its distribution includes some significant gaps.

Identification

• Medium-sized pigeon measuring 32–35 cm in length, similar in size to the rock dove.
• Rufous back and wings heavily speckled with white spots, while the rest of the upperparts and underparts are blue-grey.
• Head is grey with distinct red patches of bare skin around the eyes, and legs are red.
• Vocalisation is a loud, repetitive 'doo-doo-doo'.

Habitat

This species occupies open habitats across much of its range in sub-Saharan Africa, with two recognised subspecies spanning from Mauritania and Ethiopia down to South Africa. It is frequently seen around human habitation and agricultural areas.

Diet

Most of its diet consists of vegetable matter, and it gathers in large numbers where grain or groundnuts are available.

Did you know?

Although it belongs to the same genus as the rock dove, its genes are absent in natural wild rock dove populations, despite speckled pigeon ancestry being present in many domesticated breeds.